Judge Blocks $750 Million Bitcoin Dig

A British judge last week ended one man’s 12-year legal battle to recover a hard drive he claims holds 8,000 bitcoins, valued at nearly $750 million, buried in a Newport, Wales landfill.

James Howells, 39, offered to fund the excavation and share 25% of the proceeds with Newport City Council; however, the court ruled against him, citing environmental risks and the council’s ownership of landfill contents.

Howells says his ex-girlfriend mistakenly discarded the hard drive in 2013. It’s now buried under 10,000 to 15,000 tons of waste, part of a landfill containing 350,000 tons overall.

Howells expressed frustration, saying the decision denied him a chance to present his case and left him with “nothing.”