In 2013, Welsh computer scientist James Howells lost a hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoins, now valued at nearly €649 million. After twelve years of relentless searching, legal battles and technological projects, he had to give up on finding his treasure. But a new page has been turned: his incredible journey is to be told in a documentary.
A trivial mistake worth millions
In 2013, James Howells, then a simple IT technician in Newport, Wales, made a mistake that turned his life upside down. While cleaning his office, he inadvertently threw away a hard drive containing the private key to his Bitcoin wallet. At the time, the cryptocurrency was still confidential and worth only a few hundred dollars each. But fate was to transform this banal accident into one of the greatest financial dramas of the digital age.
In just a few years, the value of Bitcoin skyrocketed. Howells’ 8,000 Bitcoins, initially valued at $8 million, are now worth the equivalent of $742 million (around €649 million). The realisation is stark: what was merely a blunder has become a personal tragedy and a global symbol of the fragility of digital fortunes.
Determined to find his hard drive, Howells came up with plans worthy of a science fiction film. He proposed using drones equipped with artificial intelligence and robots to search the Newport landfill site, while minimising the environmental impact. Ready to finance the operation himself, he nevertheless came up against an administrative wall: the local council categorically refused access to the site, citing major ecological risks such as the release of toxic gases or contamination of the water table.
British legislation further complicates the situation. Any object thrown into a landfill legally belongs to the site, and any excavation is strictly regulated. Despite its efforts, Howells saw its appeals rejected one after the other. In 2024, a British judge concluded that his chances of success were nil, not least because of the likely degradation of the hard drive after more than a decade under tons of rubbish.
The end of a dream, the beginning of a legend
Faced with a legal impasse, James Howells had to officially abandon his quest. His story, which began with a simple mistake, became a textbook case on the dangers of the dematerialisation of wealth and the volatility of cryptocurrencies. But the adventure doesn’t end there.
Howells’ misadventure will now be written in pictures. An American production company, LEBUL, has acquired the rights to make a documentary series entitled “The Buried Bitcoin: The Real-Life Treasure Hunt of James Howells”. The project, scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, promises to use spectacular special effects to recreate the quest of the Welsh computer scientist, from his technological hopes to his legal setbacks.
For James Howells, the film is an opportunity to share his story with the world. “This is the first time I’ve really been able to show what we wanted to do on the landfill site,” he says, adding: “I’m not giving up the fight.
The story of James Howells is a warning at a time when fortunes are being dematerialised. The loss of a simple digital key can destroy lives and dreams. But it also illustrates human resilience in the face of adversity and the ability to turn failure into a universal story. The Newport digital treasure hunt hasn’t delivered its booty, but it’s already establishing itself as a modern legend.
