Man Who Lost $678 Million in Bitcoin Takes Case to European Court After UK Appeal Rejected

Man Who Lost $678 Million in Bitcoin Takes Case to European Court After UK Appeal Rejection

  • James Howells, who lost a hard drive containing $678 million worth of Bitcoin in a landfill, has been denied appeal by the UK Court of Appeal.
  • Howells plans to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming the UK ruling sets a “dangerous precedent for property rights.”
  • Experts estimate his chance of recovering the bitcoin is approximately 1 in 902 million, with Newport City Council planning to convert the landfill into a solar farm by 2026.

A Welsh man who lost 8,000 bitcoin worth approximately $678 million in a landfill has had his appeal rejected by the UK Court of Appeal. James Howells, who has been fighting to excavate a Newport landfill site for over a decade, now intends to escalate his case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

- Advertisement -

Court of Appeal Judge Lord Justice Nugee dismissed Howells’ application on Thursday, stating it had no “real prospect of success” and that “There is no other compelling reason why the appeal must be heard,” according to documents shared with Protos.

Despite this setback, Howells remains determined to pursue his case, announcing on Twitter: “Appeal request to the Royal Court of Appeal: refused. The Great British Injustice System strikes again… The state always protects the state. Next stop: ECHR.”

Newport City Council, which has repeatedly denied Howells permission to search the landfill, plans to close the site by 2026 and convert it into a solar farm, further complicating recovery efforts. Howells believes the UK courts have violated his property rights by preventing him from retrieving his asset.

“Despite the courts acknowledging that Newport City Council does not own my Bitcoin, they have ruled that because my hard drive was mistakenly discarded in 2013 by a known third party, the Council now has the absolute right to prevent me from recovering it, ignoring fundamental property rights and disregarding numerous historical precedents in the process,” Howells stated.

He further warned that the ruling could establish a dangerous legal precedent: “If this ruling stands, it means that any UK resident who mistakenly disposes of valuable property, or has it disposed of by someone else, can be permanently denied access to it, with no legal remedy.”

Howells lost his initial UK High Court case in January 2024 and subsequently applied for appeal, claiming he would employ an “AI agent” specialized in UK law to assist his case. This approach draws parallels to Craig Wright, another British cryptocurrency figure who was fined £225,000 ($290,000) for improperly using AI in his court appeals, with the court noting he “risked significantly misleading the court.”

- Advertisement -

Recovery experts have cast serious doubt on Howells’ chances of success. UK waste management firm Business Waste estimates his probability of finding the hard drive at just 0.00000011%, or approximately 1 in 902 million. Their spokesperson told The Block that the bitcoin drive “has been exposed to the elements, leachate, heat and also been subject to compacting,” giving it a “0% chance of recovery.”

This case continues to highlight the unique challenges of cryptocurrency ownership, where billions in value can be irretrievably lost without proper backup measures, raising questions about property rights in digital asset recovery.

✅ Follow BITNEWSBOT on Telegram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X.com, and Google News for instant updates.

Previous Articles:

- Advertisement -

Latest

Michael Saylor Invites Joe Rogan to Discuss Bitcoin on Podcast

Michael Saylor has shown interest in discussing Bitcoin on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.The idea has generated excitement in the Bitcoin community, with some...

Congress Debates Stablecoin Bill Amid Rising Bank and Crypto Tensions

U.S. lawmakers are moving forward with the Senate Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, with debates set to resume after...

American Engineer Drugged, Robbed in Sophisticated London Crypto Heist

An American software engineer lost approximately $123,000 in cryptocurrency after being drugged and robbed in London.The victim was targeted by an impersonator posing as...

Max Keiser Doubts New Bitcoin Treasuries’ Discipline in Bear Market

Bitcoin-focused companies are increasingly copying the treasury strategy used by Michael Saylor's Strategy.Max Keiser raised doubts about whether these newer companies can maintain commitment...

South Korea Election Puts Crypto Policy at Center of Debate

Nearly one-third of South Koreans hold digital assets, making crypto a vital issue in the upcoming presidential election.Both major parties support crypto exchange-traded funds...

Must Read

What Is Bcrypt Password Hashing Function?

KEY TAKEAWAYSBcrypt is a password hashing function that transforms plain passwords into unique alphanumeric sequences.It is a one-way process, ensuring that passwords cannot be...