Latest news with #LEBUL
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Did a simple cleanup cost this man $742 million? The shocking 12-year hunt for lost Bitcoin
A Routine Cleanup With Life-Altering Consequences James Howells' Story Becomes the Plot For Docuseries Decade-Long Quest Live Events The Courtroom Drama FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel In 2013, James Howells was just an ordinary IT worker in Newport, South Wales, doing what most of us do, tidying up his office space. What he didn't realise at the time was that his routine clean-up would accidentally toss away a hard drive holding 8,000 Bitcoins, as per a report. Back then, those Bitcoins were worth $8 million, and today, that same digital wallet is valued at around $742 million, as per Daily Galaxy single mistake turned Howells' life into a treasure hunt for more than a decade, and now after 12 years, his story is being turned into a docuseries and is set to be released in late 2025, as per the report.A Los Angeles-based production company called LEBUL has bought the rights to tell Howells' story in a new docuseries, podcast, and short-form content named 'The Buried Bitcoin: The Real-Life Treasure Hunt of James Howells," reported had mined the Bitcoins in the early days of cryptocurrency, but like many at the time, he didn't fully grasp the value of what he had. The private key to the fortune was stored on a hard drive that ended up in a Newport landfill—lost under tonnes of trash, according to Daily Galaxy Bitcoin's value skyrocketed, so did Howells' determination to recover what he'd lost, but it was not easy to dig up the landfill to find his hard drive, according to the Howells didn't just sit back and mourn his loss, he made plans for high-tech solutions, including AI-powered drones and robotic systems, to safely search the landfill without causing environmental damage, reported Daily Galaxy. He had even offered to fund the project himself and asked just for the Newport City Council's permission to access the landfill, but the permission never came, according to the officials denied permission due to the potential dangers of disturbing the landfill, which could cause the release of toxic gases and the contamination of water sources, reported Daily 2024, his fight had reached its final chapter in court as a British judge ruled his recovery efforts had 'no realistic prospect' of success, as per the report. The judge also had highlighted many factors that made the case untenable, like the condition of the hard drive after more than a decade of exposure to moisture, pressure, and extreme temperatures, as per Daily Galaxy. After the ruling, his search came to an official was tossed into a landfill in Newport, South Wales, where it remains buried under tons of waste.A docuseries titled 'The Buried Bitcoin' is in production by LEBUL, along with a podcast and short-form content.
BBC News
01-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Film to be made on man who lost £570m bitcoin in Newport tip
A documentary is being made about the man who lost a hard drive containing £570m of bitcoin. James Howells, 39, has been trying to retrieve the hard drive containing his lost bitcoin fortune, which he believes is in a Newport landfill site, for over a a production company from America, called LEBUL, have acquired the exclusive rights to develop and produce his story. Mr Howells said he's "excited" to "finally be able to tell the story in his own words". Mr Howells acquired the bitcoin, also known as BTC, during the early days of the claimed his ex-partner mistakenly threw out the hard drive, containing 8,000 bitcoins, in 2013, with it ending up in a tip owned by Newport City month, a High Court judge threw out his efforts to access the landfill or get £495m in compensation, saying there were no "reasonable grounds" for bringing the claim and "no realistic prospect" of succeeding at a full led Mr Howells to represent himself at the Court of Appeal in London, using artificial intelligence to support his in March, the court dismissed his appeal, and he is now considering taking the matter to the European Court of Human Howell has also expressed interest in buying the site after the council said it planned to close it in the 2025-26 financial year, however Newport City Council said it was making no further comment on the matter. Mr Howells said "every man and his dog wanted to film this," claiming he received about 200 offers from around the world, including from BAFTA and Emmy-winning production said until recently, "the timing wasn't really right with the legal battles".However, on Tuesday, the Los Angeles-based entertainment company LEBUL announced plans for a docuseries, podcast, and short-form content documenting Mr Howells' mission to recover the mistakenly discarded hard drive containing 8,000 "The Buried Bitcoin: The Real-Life Treasure Hunt of James Howells", the series is set to explore the early days of bitcoin, Mr Howells' involvement, the legal battle, and his high-tech plan to excavate the site, all brought to life with extensive Howells said it would also follow his efforts to purchase the landfill where the hard drive is believed to be buried."It will follow the live treasure hunt if you will because even though the court has said no to me - I'm not giving up the fight," He Van Allen, from LEBUL, said: "This isn't just content. "It's a live-action tech thriller with nearly a billion dollars at stake — and LEBUL is proud to bring it to the world". The company said the series had already begun attracting strong interest from global sponsors, crypto leaders, and major streaming platforms. Mr Howells said filming is scheduled to take place over the summer, with the documentary set for release in October or added: "This is the first sort of time that I've been able to show the world exactly what we want to do at the landfill site."Once people have viewed this documentary, they won't think this is a crazy plan and they'll think it is very achievable." What is Bitcoin? Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, a virtual or digital currency that has no physical can be split into smaller units, with a satoshi being the smallest monetary are named after bitcoin's inventor Satoshi Nakamoto – believed to be a pseudonym – who wrote a key document about the currency in investing in the product around this time, like Mr Howells, were part of a "very small" crypto community known as Cypherpunks, said Billy Bambrough, author of the CryptoCodex was not the first cryptocurrency to be invented, but it did gain considerable attention with early adherents being "very quickly enamoured with it", Mr Bambrough began to rise in about 2016 and 2017, and again in 2020 during the Covid pandemic when "stock markets, cryptocurrencies and meme coins went up hugely"."A lot of people got very rich, but a lot of people also lost money," Mr Bambrough cryptocurrency also saw rapid increases in late 2024, shortly after Donald Trump's victory in the US general election, with his administration being seen as far friendlier towards cryptocurrencies than the Biden White House."A lot of people in the crypto and bitcoin worlds say the price has gone up so much in such a short amount of time, they claim it could go higher and higher," Mr Bambrough said."So I can understand why James [Howells] is keen to find his bitcoin."
Associated Press
29-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Lebul Acquires Rights to 'The Buried Bitcoin' - The Real-Life $800M Treasure Hunt of James Howells
Global Media Initiative to Span Docuseries, Podcast and Social-First Storytelling LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / April 29, 2025 / Entertainment media company LEBUL has officially acquired the exclusive rights to develop and produce the story of James Howells, the man behind the $800 million Bitcoin fortune buried in a Welsh x 'The Buried Bitcoin' LEBUL Acquires Rights to 'The Buried Bitcoin' This partnership marks the launch of a bold, multi-platform media venture including a premium docuseries, podcast, and an expansive short-form content and marketing strategy across social platforms. Dubbed The Buried Bitcoin: The Real-Life Treasure Hunt of James Howells, a story chronicling James' mission to recover the mistakenly discarded hard drive, now worth over $800 million from 12 years ago, while overcoming the numerous practical and bureaucratic obstacles standing in the way. The series will blend cinematic storytelling with real-time global stakes, blockchain technology, and environmental innovation. 'This isn't just content,' said Reese Van Allen, President, Unscripted Entertainment at LEBUL. 'It's a live-action tech thriller with nearly a billion dollars on the line - and LEBUL is proud to bring it to the world.' With a world-class team of film creators, marketing strategists, and digital storytellers, LEBUL is uniquely positioned to serve as the bridge between premium entertainment and brand storytelling. The project is already drawing early interest from global sponsors, crypto leaders, and streaming platforms. ABOUT LEBUL LEBUL is a Los Angeles-based entertainment media company redefining storytelling through premium content, cultural insight, and digital innovation. From docuseries and branded films to social-first experiences and podcasts, LEBUL builds bold, high-impact narratives that drive global attention and audience engagement. Its team of experienced and highly respected producers, strategists, and storytellers partners with talent and brands to shape the future of entertainment and its shifting landscape. For more, visit ABOUT JAMES HOWELLS James Howells is a British IT engineer and early cryptocurrency adopter best known for accidentally discarding a hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoins - now valued at over $800 million and in a landfill in Newport, Wales. His story has become one of the most talked-about mysteries in tech and finance. Howells has since led a years-long mission to recover the drive, combining data recovery science, environmental negotiation, and global media intrigue. The Buried Bitcoin marks the first official adaptation of his journey. Contact InformationChristina Iannuzzi SOURCE: LEBUL press release
