The Bitcoin That Got Away: Docuseries Explores $800 Million Trash Tragedy

A Londoner’s years-long quest for an $800 million Bitcoin-containing hard drive hidden somewhere in a Welsh landfill has now been licensed into a cross-platform documentary series.

Entertainment company LEBUL announced this week that it has secured exclusive rights to tell the story of James Howells, the British engineer known for losing access to 8,000 Bitcoin back in 2013.

Man’s Lost Hard Drive Holds Crypto Fortunes Worth A King’s Ransom

Howells, one of those who mined Bitcoin in its early years, lost access to 8,000 Bitcoin in 2013 when his hard drive was mistakenly discarded. At current prices, that cryptocurrency hoard is worth over $800 million.

The hard drive ended up in a municipal landfill in Newport, Wales, where it still sits in spite of Howells’ numerous efforts to reclaim it.

“This isn’t content,” declared Reese Van Allen, Unscripted Entertainment President at LEBUL. “It’s a live-action tech thriller with almost a billion dollars at stake.”

The documentary initiative, “The Buried Bitcoin: The Real-Life Treasure Hunt of James Howells,” will feature a high-end series, podcast, and social media push. LEBUL intends to combine aspects of environmental strife, cryptocurrency history, and individual resolve in their narrative.

Legal Fights Ongoing With Local Council

Howells has taken Newport City Council to court several times over the last decade. He’s asked for permission to excavate the landfill and even proposed dividing any money recovered with both the city and residents. At one time, he asked local officials for £495 million in compensation.

He has time and again lost in court over his protests on grounds of concern for damage to the environment as well as land laws. He lost recently in 2025 in Cardiff High Court, according to reports.

It is more of a pressing need as the council will shut the dump in the year 2025-2026 and build part of it as a solar farm.

In spite of persistent setbacks, Howells is determined to recover his lost fortune. As reported, he’s mulling an appeal to the Supreme Court. He has also intimated that he may attempt to purchase the whole landfill property to get access to the location.

“Howells’ tale, at times likened to a contemporary treasure hunt, will now find its way to more people as LEBUL turns a piece of discarded e-waste into entertainment,” said one report on the new series.

The documentary series has already piqued the interest of worldwide streaming channels eager to distribute the content. Some cryptocurrency firms have also shown interest in sponsoring the project, said LEBUL.

LEBUL executives are confident that the blend of real-life drama, significant financial stakes, and real-time developments will make the series attractive to both cryptocurrency fans and general audiences who are not familiar with Bitcoin’s early days.

The firm has yet to announce a release date for any component of the project.

Featured image from Gemini Imagen, chart from TradingView