Man Who Accidentally Sent $527M in Bitcoins to Dump Sues Local Council to Retrieve Them: Report

James Howells has been trying to recover a hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoins that he accidentally threw away in 2013. The hard drive is currently buried in a landfill in Newport, UK, and is estimated to be worth around $275 million at today’s prices.

Over the last decade, Howells has repeatedly requested assistance from Newport Council, the owners of the landfill, to help him retrieve the hard drive. However, he claims his pleas have been largely ignored.

Now, Howells is taking legal action against the council, seeking damages of 495 million pounds ($646 million). This amount represents the peak valuation that the 8,000 BTC reached earlier this year.

The case highlights the challenges and risks associated with storing valuable assets in digital form, as well as the potential consequences of losing access to them.