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In 2013, Welsh computer engineer James Howells mistakenly disposed of a laptop hard drive containing the private key for 8,000 Bitcoin in the Docksway landfill in Newport, Wales. Howells subsequently assembled a team of specialists and secured funding to excavate the site, but Newport City Council refused permission, citing the environmental impact of the search including dangerous gases, methane, asbestos, and toxic leachate. If the coins are discovered, Howells proposes distributing 30% of the proceedings among the council and the population of Newport.
As of February 2025, the missing Bitcoin was worth £597 million (US$751 million). In December 2024, Howells sued the council for £495 million, with the council contesting that the device is now its property. Howells and his team are confident that retrieval of the data remains possible, while the council continues to profess its scepticism. Following a hearing, the High Court dismissed Howells' claim in January 2025, ruling that it had no prospect of success.
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