#UK court halts treasure hunt plan#
Hot Topic Overview
Overview
A UK court has rejected an IT engineer's application to search a landfill for a hard drive containing $735 million worth of Bitcoin. James Howells accidentally discarded the hard drive containing the Bitcoin in 2013 at a landfill in Newport and has been trying to retrieve it by digging. However, UK judge Keyser KC ruled that the digging operation would pose significant environmental risks and that there was "no realistic prospect of success" at trial, thus rejecting his application. Newport City Council has consistently refused access to the landfill, arguing that the digging operation would cause irreversible damage to the environment.
Ace Hot Topic Analysis
Analysis
A UK court has rejected IT engineer James Howells' application to search a Newport landfill for a hard drive containing $735 million worth of Bitcoin. The judge ruled that the case had "no realistic prospect of success" at trial, citing environmental risks as a major reason. Howells accidentally discarded the hard drive containing the Bitcoin in 2013, when the cryptocurrency was worth a negligible amount, but it has since skyrocketed in value. Newport City Council has consistently refused to allow access to the landfill for excavation, as it would cause irreversible environmental damage. The judge's ruling means Howells' treasure hunt has failed completely, and he will be unable to recover the vast fortune.
Public Sentiment · Discussion Word Cloud
Public Sentiment
Discussion Word Cloud
Classic Views
A plan to find Bitcoin poses environmental risks, the court believes the plan has no realistic chance of success in trial.
Newport City Council has consistently refused to enter the landfill due to concerns about environmental damage from excavation.
James Howells attempted to obtain a mining permit through legal channels, but was ultimately rejected by the court.
The incident has sparked discussions about the security and environmental protection of digital assets.