He is the third-largest Bitcoin holder

Now he has accumulated 950,000,000 in BTC
But he accidentally threw away a hard drive and it got ruined trying to find it
The curse of the biggest treasure hunt ever recorded:
James Howells was a computer engineer from Wales who got into Bitcoin early thanks to his passion for machines.
By 2013, he had amassed a colossal fortune in Bitcoin.
But one day of cleaning changed everything.
During a computer session, he threw away an old hard drive without thinking.
What he didn't realize was that it contained 8,000 Bitcoins valued at over 800 million today.
Desperate, James sought help.
The hard drive is lost under 110,000 tons of waste in the Newport landfill.
Howells asked the Newport City Council for permission to excavate.
They refused due to environmental dangers, exorbitant costs, and legal liabilities.
But he didn't give up.
James launched a rescue project straight out of an action movie.
Robotic dogs to locate the hard drive, AI-powered machines to sort trash, and even a simulated landfill to train the AI first.
The expenditure reached $11 million.
Speculative funds participated, eager to get a share of the loot.
Howells also offered the Newport City Council 25% of the Bitcoin.
(190 million today)
He even transported scientists to ensure a safe rescue.
NASA engineers believe they can recover the data.
But first, they have to find it.
Over more than a decade,
Howells pursued his obsession, digging through 110,000 tons of garbage.
But by early 2025, the courts permanently shut down his search.
James's desire to recover his fortune has come to an end.