Wales Man Loses Attraction to Dig Out Onerous Drive Holding $676 Million in Bitcoin

The UK Courtroom of Appeals has rejected a Wales man’s request to excavate a landfill the place he believes his laborious drive holding $676 million in Bitcoin was dumped greater than a decade in the past. 

James Howells posted Friday on Linkedin a screenshot of the appeals court docket’s ruling, which is last. The software program engineer, who mined the misplaced Bitcoin in 2009, has waged a long legal battle to realize entry to the landfill the place he believes his tokens could also be buried, and he has even considered purchasing the waste site. 

However having exhausted all his choices for authorized recourse by way of the U.Ok. court docket system, Howells now plans to deliver his case to the European Courts of Human Rights. 

“The Nice British Injustice System strikes once more… Ethical of the Story: The state all the time protects the state,” Howells wrote in his Linkedin put up. “Subsequent cease: ECHR.” 

Howells misplaced his laborious drive containing the keys to eight,000 Bitcoin in 2013, when his former accomplice tossed out the gadget. Bitcoin’s worth peaked that yr at roughly $1,130, CoinGecko data exhibits. 

Since then, the worth of these tossed tokens has grown astronomically, nevertheless. Bitcoin was buying and selling at $84,500 as of publication time, or greater than 7000% larger than its highest worth in 2013. 

Howells is one among many early Bitcoin believers whose holdings have grown to be value a life-changing fortune. However his case additionally underscores a typical actuality for a lot of crypto holders—the difficulties of custodying one’s personal cryptocurrencies. 

In a letter to Howells, Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Nugee of the U.Ok. Courtroom of Appeals stated he rejected the Bitcoin holder’s enchantment as a result of it didn’t have “any actual prospect of success.” 

Howells refuted the choose’s argument in a Friday assertion, which he shared with Decrypt. 

“The British institution desires to brush this underneath the carpet, and I cannot allow them to,” he stated. “It won’t go away—regardless of how lengthy it takes!”

Though Howells implied he has plenty of time to combat his case, time to dig up his laborious drive is working out. 

An area council that oversees the Welsh landfill is anticipated to shutter the location, which is nearing most capability, within the 2025-26 monetary yr, the council’s draft finances exhibits.