Man's Legal Battle Over $676 Million Bitcoin Hard Drive
Man's Legal Battle Over $676 Million Bitcoin Hard Drive
The UK Court of Appeals has denied a Wales man's plea to excavate a landfill where he believes his hard drive containing $676 million in Bitcoin was discarded over ten years ago. James Howells, a software engineer, had mined the lost Bitcoin in 2009 and has been fighting a lengthy legal battle to access the landfill where he suspects his tokens are buried. Despite considering buying the waste site, all legal options in the UK have been exhausted, prompting Howells to take his case to the European Courts of Human Rights. The value of the lost tokens has surged significantly since 2013 when Howells lost his hard drive, with Bitcoin now trading at $84,500. While many early Bitcoin investors have seen their holdings skyrocket, Howells' situation highlights the challenges faced by crypto holders in safeguarding their assets. The local council managing the landfill is set to close the site by 2025-26, adding urgency to Howells' quest to retrieve his hard drive.
