British Investor Recovers £3.33 Million in Lost Bitcoin After 12-Year Battle
A British investor has successfully recovered 61 BTC that he lost access to when Intersango exchange shut down in 2014. The coins were valued at £3.33 million when regained on May 28, after a prolonged effort by CEL Solicitors.
The investor, identified as Chris, bought the 61 BTC through Intersango in 2011 for about £2.94 per coin. He instructed CEL Solicitors to pursue the assets in January, and the recovery was completed within four months without going to trial.
The case highlights the distinction between lost and inaccessible Bitcoin. Inaccessible coins are those whose private keys have been destroyed or lost, while Chris's situation involved ownership and legal recovery issues. The recovery differs from cases like James Howells', who has spent years trying to recover a hard drive containing thousands of BTC from a Welsh landfill.