James Howells, an IT engineer from Newport, Wales, is suing Newport City Council in a decade-long fight to recover a hard drive containing 7,500 bitcoins, now worth around $500 million. Howells accidentally threw away the hard drive, which ended up in a landfill. He has repeatedly sought permission to excavate the site, but the council has denied his requests, citing environmental risks and high costs.
Despite Howells offering to cover the $12 million excavation cost, the council remains firm, arguing that disturbing the landfill could release toxic materials. Howells, frustrated by the council’s refusal, remains determined to retrieve his lost bitcoins, proposing advanced technology and environmental experts to minimize the impact.
This legal battle highlights the complexities of digital asset ownership and the challenges of retrieving lost data, with both the crypto community and environmental advocates closely watching the outcome. Show Less
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