Man Abandons 12-Year Search for Lost $742M Bitcoin Hard Drive

James Howells, who lost 8,000 Bitcoins worth $742 million in a landfill in 2013, has finally given up his decade-long effort to recover the hard drive containing his private keys after legal and environmental obstacles. Despite proposing high-tech solutions and funding the search himself, authorities refused permission, and a court ruled recovery was impossible due to the drive's degraded condition and legal restrictions. His story will be featured in a documentary set to release in 2025.