British Man's Quest for Lost Bitcoin Hard Drive Faces Legal Setback

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A British man’s decade-long effort to recover a hard drive containing 8,000 bitcoins, now valued at approximately $757 million, has encountered another legal hurdle. James Howells, 39, mistakenly discarded the hard drive in 2013, believing it to be a blank drive. His attempts to gain access to a landfill in Newport, Wales, where he believes the hard drive to be, were recently rejected by a judge.

Judge Keyser KC ruled that Howells' claim lacked reasonable grounds for legal action, stating that the hard drive became the property of Newport City Council once it was disposed of in the landfill. Despite the setback, Howells remains determined to fight for his claim, expressing disappointment but also a glimmer of hope after the judge acknowledged his ownership of the bitcoins.

Howells has previously proposed innovative methods to search through the landfill's 110,000 tons of waste, including the use of human sorters and robotic technology. Although this latest legal bid has been denied, he has hinted at the possibility of appealing the decision, stating, "Until a higher court tells me no, I'll keep on fighting."

Howells’ case highlights ongoing discussions surrounding ownership rights in the rapidly evolving field of cryptocurrency.

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