James Howells, a 39-year-old IT worker from Newport, has lost a high-profile court battle to excavate a local landfill believed to contain a hard drive holding his Bitcoin fortune worth around £600 million. Despite the setback, Howells remains resolute in his quest to recover his cryptocurrency holdings.
Howells had been searching for the hard drive since 2013, when it was mistakenly thrown away by his partner. He has spent years pleading with Newport City Council for permission to search the Docksway landfill, citing legal and environmental concerns. However, Howells argued that a specialized team of recovery engineers could locate the disk at no cost to local taxpayers.
The High Court in Cardiff dismissed Howells’s claim, declaring there was “no realistic prospect” of success at trial. The council cited concerns over ecological disruption and regulatory complications if the site were opened up.
Undeterred, Howells has unveiled a tokenization scheme, which aims to monetize his lost Bitcoin without physically retrieving the hard drive. He plans to create a new cryptocurrency, dubbed “James Coin,” whose value would mirror that of the inaccessible Bitcoin. Although this approach won’t fully recover the £600 million, it could provide a modest return while creating a crypto venture.
Howells believes he still owns the Bitcoin and is waiting for a final order that will confirm his ownership. He has vowed to escalate the case to the Supreme Court if necessary. For now, he remains focused on launching his new cryptocurrency, despite the odds being against him.
Source: https://bravenewcoin.com/insights/man-vows-to-keep-fighting-after-losing-legal-battle-to-dig-for-bitcoin-fortune