A Buried Fortune: The Quest for Lost Bitcoin at a South Wales Landfill

After years of persistent requests to excavate a landfill in South Wales, James Howells shifts tactics, proposing to buy the landfill outright to search for a hard drive containing a Bitcoin fortune valued at approximately $800 million.

For over a decade, James Howells has endeavored to recover his lost Bitcoin wallet hidden within the depths of a South Wales landfill, a treasure he estimates to be worth around $800 million. After years of pleading with Newport City Council, often facing skepticism and reluctance, Howells has made a groundbreaking proposal: If he can't excavate the landfill, he wants to buy it.

His plan is both ambitious and meticulous. He envisions carting away thousands of tons of refuse, employing advanced A.I.-trained detection technology to sift through the waste. With the support of a data recovery firm and plans mapped out by the former landfill director, Howells is determined to retrieve the hard drive containing his discarded Bitcoin key, which he accidentally disposed of in 2013.

"If they won’t let me dig, why not let me buy?" Howells posited, underscoring a vision where the landfill could be cleaned up, repurposed into a park, or returned to its former function as a dump site once his treasure hunt concludes.

The Newport City Council, however, has remained steadfast in its decision to deny excavation permissions, citing a planned closure of the landfill. Despite multiple court battles and negotiations over the years, Howells continues to advocate for a solution that he believes benefits both him and the city.

As time runs out for his quest, Howells remains hopeful that his proposal will be considered, seeing it as a win-win scenario: the city clears its waste and he potentially uncovers his long-lost fortune. This unprecedented endeavor captures the intersection of technology, ambition, and a unique slice of modern cryptocurrency folklore.