Court Bans Briton from Searching for Lost Hard Drive with Bitcoins
How Did He Lose It?
In 2013, Howells accidentally threw away the hard drive holding the keys to his bitcoin wallet. According to him, it happened due to the carelessness of his then-girlfriend. Since then, he has sought permission to excavate, repeatedly appealing to local authorities and even proposing the use of robots and drones for the search.
Court’s Decision
The court rejected all appeals, citing environmental risks, excessive costs, and a lack of guaranteed success. Searching through such a massive volume of waste would cost millions of dollars, and recovering the data after so many years may be impossible.
Howells’ Reaction
James Howells expressed his disappointment, calling the decision unfair. He stated that local authorities had deprived him of his last chance to retrieve the lost wealth. Despite his efforts, the "treasure" remains buried under tons of waste.
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