CNBC'S MELISSA LEE TAKES A DEEP DIVE INTO THE ELUSIVE WORLD OF BITCOIN IN A CNBC ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., August 20, 2018 – On Monday, August 27th at 6pm ET, CNBC presents "Bitcoin: Boom or Bust," a one-hour documentary reported by CNBC's Melissa Lee that explores the good, the bad and the ugly sides of bitcoin. The cryptocurrency has exploded into a worldwide phenomenon, attracting investors from Wall Street to Main Street and beyond, but is bitcoin the future of money, or simply a bubble waiting to burst?

This original documentary employs pop culture, captivating imagery and a hip-hop score (a staple in crypto-culture) as it follows a wide range of fascinating characters, each with their own passionate argument either for or against bitcoin.

On one side are the staunch crypto evangelists, including a quirky bitcoin millionaire who lives in a treehouse "so he can put everything into crypto," an escort using bitcoin to transform the sex trade, a billionaire venture capitalist who says bitcoin "is bigger than the internet" and the controversial anarchist leading the "crypto revolution." It also transports viewers to Africa, providing an eye-opening look at what some bitcoin believers consider a gold mine for crypto investment.

For every bitcoin bull, viewers will also hear from an equally adamant bear and in this case, a wolf. In a riveting and colorful interview, Jordan "The Wolf of Wall Street" Belfort compares bitcoin to his own scams. "I was a con man. I was, and that's exactly what's happening with bitcoin," he warns, adding, "When this thing busts, there are a lot of innocent people who are going to get slaughtered." Belfort's not alone in his criticism: a renowned Harvard economics professor and prolific author plus some of the most respected names in finance round out the argument against bitcoin's future, while a chilling tour of the dark web exposes the cryptocurrency's criminal underbelly.

In the end, there's only one thing that every character in the documentary can agree on: that bitcoin's future will likely come down to one deciding factor. But what is that deciding factor, and is there still time to make money in the bitcoin gold rush? Lee aims to find out.

"Bitcoin: Boom or Bust" is an eye-opening journey that proves to be as informative as it is entertaining and unexpected. Lee offers viewers a rare look inside the wild world of bitcoin, uncovering the unusual landscape and cast of characters surrounding it, and ultimately, allowing viewers to take their own side in the crypto craze.

Additional information including web extras will be available on CNBC.com leading up to premiere.

Follow @CNBCPrimeTV and @CNBC on Twitter, and join the conversation using hashtag #BitcoinBoomOrBust.

Scott Matthews is Vice President of Business News Specials. Melissa Lustrin is Executive Producer. Scott Zamost is Senior Producer. Producers are: Jake Callahan, Louise Connelly, Kelly Lin and Erica Wright. Nikhil Deogun is Senior Vice President and Editor in Chief of Business News for CNBC.