A man who threw away $750 million worth of bitcoin with the trash has accepted for the first time it is ‘game over’ – after a judge threw out his bid to dig it up.
James Howells has described his lost legal bid to recover the fortune as ‘gut-wrenching’ and said he will spend the rest of his life.
The 39-year-old had launched court action against a council that refused to let him excavate computer equipment needed to unlock his 8,000 bitcoins — currently worth around $750 million.
The costly error a decade ago saw his then-partner throw away a black trash bag containing the drive he needed to gain access to his stash.
It has since lain in a rubbish site run by Newport Council in Wales and he has spent years fighting for the right to retrieve it.

Last week a judge at Cardiff High Court threw out his legal bid.

He said: “I am honestly so disappointed — I thought at the very least I deserved to have my full say in court with a full trial with all details put onto the centre stage