How €750m in Bitcoin ended up buried in a dump in Wales

And how its owner is fighting to get it back

Listen | 22:10
Newport Council landfill where James Howells believes his hard drive with 8,000 bitcoin is buried. Photograph: Matthew Horwood/Getty
Newport Council landfill where James Howells believes his hard drive with 8,000 bitcoin is buried. Photograph: Matthew Horwood/Getty

In 2013 a Bitcoin hard drive – now worth more than half a billion euro – was mistakenly dumped in the council rubbish tip in Wales.

Since then its owner, James Howells, has been fighting to get it back.

For the past 10 years he has petitioned to search the site; gone to court to get compensation; and appealed for help through the media but to no avail.

The council now says it is selling the dump in Newport and Howells wants to buy it.

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The 39-year-old engineer tells In the News how he became an early investor in cryptocurrency and where his attempts to find his lost millions will go next.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

Bernice Harrison

Bernice Harrison

Bernice Harrison is an Irish Times journalist and cohost of In the News podcast