#JamesHowells , a British computer engineer, lost 8,000 Bitcoins in a landfill in Newport, Wales, 11 years ago. This amount of BTC is currently worth about 780 million USD, and he has spent over a decade trying to find a way to dig up the buried hard drive.
Failed "Gold Digging" Plan
Howells has repeatedly sought permission from the Newport city authorities to search for the hard drive, but has been denied each time. The reason given is that excavating the landfill could pose environmental risks and disrupt city operations.
Not giving up, Howells once proposed an advanced search plan with the support of artificial intelligence (AI), industrial robots, and environmental experts, ensuring no negative impact. However, the authorities still refused.
Lawsuit Lost, But Not Giving Up
Last month, Howells sued the city of Newport in court to request the right to excavate the landfill. But Judge Keyser KC dismissed the case, stating that the hard drive is considered waste and belongs to the city.
After this failure, Howells came up with a bolder strategy: to acquire the entire landfill.
Acquiring the Landfill to Self-Dig
This landfill is expected to close in 2026 and be converted into a solar energy farm. If successful in the acquisition, Howells will not need to seek permission from the authorities to excavate and retrieve his hard drive.
"I am completely serious about acquiring the landfill," Howells told the BBC. He also revealed that he has contacted investors to fund this plan.
Currently, the authorities #Newport have not yet responded regarding the possibility of reselling this landfill. But if that happens, James Howells could become a Bitcoin millionaire right after finding his hard drive.
Will he actually find the digital treasure, or is this just a distant dream? Let's wait and see! 🚀