British Engineer’s $750M Bitcoin Hunt—Will Buying a Landfill Pay Off?

For twelve years, James Howells has been determined to retrieve his lost hard drive, which contains 8,000 BTC—now worth a staggering fortune. Certain that it still lies buried in Newport’s Docks Way landfill, he’s willing to buy the entire site to launch a full-scale excavation.

Newport’s landfill on Docks Way is set to close in the 2025-26 fiscal year, according to the latest budget report from the city council. The site has almost reached its maximum capacity, making further use impractical. Once closed, the land will be reclaimed and transformed into a solar farm.

The new facility will generate clean energy to power waste collection vehicles and other sustainable operations. This move is part of the council’s wider strategy to cut carbon emissions and foster a greener, more sustainable future for the region.

I knew the landfill was nearing its limit—it's already 80-90% full—so I figured it would close eventually. But I didn’t think it would happen this soon. If Newport City Council is willing to negotiate, I’m seriously considering buying the site ‘as is.’ I’ve already run the idea past my investment partners, and it’s entirely within reach,

Howells said.

What surprised him even more, he added, was that the council’s plan directly contradicted its past statements. “They previously said closing the landfill wouldn’t be in the community’s best interest—now they’re shutting it down to build a solar farm,” he noted.

Despite the council’s shift in direction, Howells and his team are undeterred. “If the council is open to discussions, we’re ready to start as early as tomorrow morning,” he said.

He also revealed that he has a detailed five-year plan to purchase, operate, and excavate the site. While he knows exactly how much the entire process will cost, he isn’t ready to make those figures public just yet.

Who Is James Howells?

James Howells, an engineer from Newport, was an early adopter of Bitcoin mining in the early 2010s, long before the cryptocurrency gained mainstream attention. Seeing its potential, he decided to invest in the technology.

With BTC prices at mere fractions of a dollar, Howells considered it a minor expenditure. He mined thousands of coins and stored them on a hard drive, convinced that they would hold significant value in the future.

As time passed, Bitcoin’s value skyrocketed. During a routine house cleaning, Howells’ girlfriend unknowingly discarded the hard drive containing his Bitcoin holdings, unaware that she was throwing away a future fortune. Howells himself didn’t immediately realize the loss, and by the time he did, it was too late—the drive had already been buried in a landfill, making recovery nearly impossible.

This mistake proved to be a life-altering one: today, his lost Bitcoin stash is worth an estimated $774 million. Over the years, Howells has launched multiple efforts to retrieve it, proposing ambitious excavation projects to search the landfill. However, despite his persistence, all attempts have been unsuccessful. His story has since gained worldwide attention, serving as a stark reminder of the value—and vulnerability—of digital assets.

Why Digging Up the Hard Drive Isn’t That Simple

If retrieving a lost hard drive were as simple as digging through some trash, Howells would have done it years ago. But the reality is far more daunting. The landfill where it was discarded covers 15 hectares, a vast expanse where the tiny device could be anywhere. Worse yet, 11 years have passed. In that time, tons of new waste have been piled on top, burying the drive under layers of compacted refuse.

The landfill has transformed beyond recognition. Layers of waste have been compressed, shifted, and buried over time, making the search for Howells’ hard drive a near-impossible feat. It’s likely trapped meters below the surface, hidden beneath a crushing mass of garbage that has been accumulating for over a decade.

There’s also another problem—landfills are chaotic, with no accurate maps or tracking systems. No one can pinpoint where a single discarded item might have ended up, and even with state-of-the-art technology, the chances of finding the drive are razor-thin.

But the cruelest twist? Even if the drive is somehow recovered, it may already be ruined. Years of exposure to extreme conditions—moisture, pressure, corrosion—could have erased everything on it, turning Howells’ lost fortune into nothing more than a rusted relic of what could have been.

Is There Any Hope for Howells’ Lost Bitcoin?

The answer to that question could change his life forever. If James Howells locates his lost hard drive, he will instantly become one of the wealthiest people in crypto. But after 11 years, the reality is bleak. The landfill isn’t for sale, and layers of compressed garbage now conceal the drive beneath an overwhelming mass of waste.

Worse still, there’s no guarantee it’s even there. The device may have been crushed, corroded, or—perhaps the most devastating possibility—discovered by someone else. If so, Howells’ relentless pursuit will have been for nothing.