想象一下，一个失误，导致8亿美元的惊人损失，并在不久的将来可能数十亿美元！对于39岁的英国计算机科学家詹姆斯·豪威尔斯（James Howells）来说，这次噩梦在2013年成为一个严酷的现实，当时他的前女友不小心丢弃了一个装有8,000个比特币的硬盘驱动器。

2013年，詹姆斯·豪威尔斯（James Howells）声称自己的生活发生了不可逆转的转折，当时他的女友不小心将硬盘扔进垃圾桶，这是一种拥有8,000个比特币的设备。

A single misstep can have staggering consequences, and for 39-year-old British computer scientist James Howells, one ex-girlfriend’s actions in 2013 set in motion a chain of events that would change his life forever.

一个失误可能会带来惊人的后果，对于39岁的英国计算机科学家詹姆斯·豪威尔斯（James Howells），一位前女友在2013年的行动带来了一系列事件，这将永远改变他的生活。

It all began when Howells’s ex-girlfriend accidentally discarded a hard drive into a Welsh landfill. The device contained 8,000 Bitcoins, which at the time had minimal value. However, as the digital currency rose to new highs, becoming ‘digital gold,’ the discarded drive is now estimated to hold a staggering $820 million.

这一切始于豪威尔斯的前女友不小心将硬盘驱动到威尔士垃圾填埋场。该设备包含8,000个比特币，当时的价值最低。但是，随着数字货币上升到新的高点，成为“数字黄金”，现在估计被废弃的驱动器持有惊人的8.2亿美元。

Over the past 12 years, Howells has been persistently seeking to recover his lost fortune, but his efforts to excavate the landfill have been repeatedly rejected by the Newport council, and the judge dismissed his lawsuit seeking access to the site or £495 million in compensation.

在过去的12年中，豪威尔斯一直在寻求恢复失去的财富，但他为挖掘垃圾填埋场的努力被纽波特委员会一再拒绝，法官驳回了他的诉讼寻求访问该地点或4.95亿英镑的赔偿。

In a desperate attempt, James Howells has even offered to purchase the entire landfill as he remains determined to leave no stone unturned in his quest to retrieve the lost Bitcoin fortune. But this move has drawn criticism, with many questioning the validity of his claims, considering the immense growth in Bitcoin’s value since 2013.

詹姆斯·豪威尔斯（James Howells）拼命尝试，甚至提出要购买整个垃圾填埋场，因为他决心在寻求取回失落的比特币财富的过程中毫不犹豫地留下石头。但是，这一举动引起了批评，许多人质疑他的主张的有效性，考虑到自2013年以来比特币价值的巨大增长。

Bitcoin is currently trading at $103,254, with a minor 0.69% decrease. However, its surge since 2013 is remarkable, showcasing the potential for massive gains in the cryptocurrency market.

比特币目前的交易价格为103,254美元，下降了0.69％。但是，自2013年以来的激增非常出色，展示了加密货币市场上大幅增长的潜力。

Newport council rejects James Howells’s plan, citing environmental concerns

纽波特委员会拒绝詹姆斯·豪威尔斯（James Howells）的计划，理由是环境问题

Despite James Howell’s increasing efforts, the Newport Council rejected his $12.3 million excavation plan, citing environmental concerns. The plan included offering 10% of the recovered funds to the city council.

尽管詹姆斯·豪威尔（James Howell）的努力越来越大，但纽波特委员会（Newport Council）以环境问题为由拒绝了他的1,230万美元发掘计划。该计划包括向市议会提供10％的收回资金。

However, the council stated that the move could cause serious environmental and health issues and could affect the local residents. With plans to close the site and build a solar power farm, the council is moving forward with its own agenda.

但是，理事会表示，此举可能会引起严重的环境和健康问题，并可能影响当地居民。随着计划关闭现场并建造太阳能农场，该委员会正在以自己的议程前进。

A council spokeswoman stated that the landfill is nearing the end of its life and will be capped within two years. The rejection has left Howells facing another significant setback in his quest to recover his lost Bitcoin fortune.

理事会发言人说，垃圾填埋场即将结束生命的尽头，并将在两年内被封顶。拒绝使豪威尔斯（Howells）遇到了另一个重大挫折，以追求失去的比特币财富。

Soon, in 2024, Howells sued the Newport Council and sought help from the High Court. He claimed intellectual property rights and sued the council for £495 million. However, Judge Keyser dismissed the case on January 9, 2025, stating it had “no realistic prospect of succeeding.”

不久，2024年，豪威尔斯起诉纽波特委员会，并寻求高等法院的帮助。他夺取了知识产权，并以4.95亿英镑起诉了理事会。但是，基瑟法官于2025年1月9日驳回了此案，称其“没有现实的前景”。

The council argued they legally possessed the device since it was deposited at the site. Despite this setback, Howells remains determined, willing to buy the entire landfill to search for his lost digital treasure.

理事会辩称，自从该设备存放在现场以来，他们在法律上拥有该设备。尽管有这种挫折，豪威尔斯仍然坚定决心，愿意购买整个垃圾填埋场来寻找他失去的数字宝藏。

LEBUL Production Company to film James Howells’s epic Bitcoin quest

Lebul制作公司拍摄James Howells的史诗比特币任务

Following his 12 years of quest, James Howell is finally able to tell his story to the world. American production company LEBUL has acquired the rights for a film on Howells’s story.

詹姆斯·豪威尔（James Howell）终于能够向世界讲述自己的故事。美国制作公司莱布尔（Lebul）获得了有关豪威尔斯（Howells）故事的电影的权利。

“Every man and his dog wanted to film this,” stated the 39-year-old British computer scientist.

这位39岁的英国计算机科学家说：“每个人和他的狗都想拍摄这件事。”

He added that he received about 200 offers from multiple producers and teams, including from BAFTA and Emmy-winning production companies. However, due to ongoing legal battles and the complexities of retrieving the lost device, he couldn’t commit to their proposal.

他补充说，他收到了来自多个生产商和团队的大约200个报价，包括来自BAFTA和艾美奖获奖的制作公司。但是，由于持续的法律战和检索丢失的设备的复杂性，他无法承诺他们的提议。

“The timing wasn’t really right with the legal battle and some of the proposals weren’t quite right. I had a lot of people get in touch with offers to make documentaries and films about it, but they were sort of mashing it up and making it into something that it wasn’t.”

“法律斗争的时机并不是正确的，一些提议并不是很正确。我有很多人与报价联系以制作纪录片和电影，但他们有点像将其捣碎，并将其融入不可能的东西。”

It is noteworthy that this development coincides with a growing trend: governments worldwide are racing to set up strategic Bitcoin reserves. The latest among them is the Ukrainian government.

值得注意的是，这一发展与增长的趋势相吻合：全球各国政府正在竞争建立战略性比特币储备。其中最新的是乌克兰政府。

MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak has decided to submit a bill before parliament for a Bitcoin Reserve.

国会议员Yaroslav Zhelezniak已决定在议会前提交一项比特币储备金。