The crypto world is abuzz as HBO’s documentary “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery” points to early Bitcoin developer Peter Todd as the elusive Satoshi Nakamoto. However, Todd firmly denies these claims, setting the stage for a heated debate about Bitcoin’s true creator.
Hours before the documentary’s premiere on October 8, 2024, Todd told CoinDesk, “Of course, I’m not Satoshi.” He accused filmmaker Cullen Hoback of “grasping at straws” and resorting to “QAnon style coincidence-based conspiracy thinking.”
The 100-minute documentary presents circumstantial evidence linking Todd to Satoshi, including:
- Todd’s early interest in cryptography
- His relationship with Adam Back, who communicated with Satoshi
- Similarities in British/Canadian spellings used by Satoshi and Todd’s Canadian background
- A 2010 forum post where Todd seemingly continued Satoshi’s thread
Despite these connections, the film fails to provide conclusive proof. Even Hoback admits that his strongest piece of evidence – a blog post where Todd claims expertise in “sacrificing” bitcoin – is “tenuous at best.”
Todd’s reaction to the documentary has been one of amusement and frustration. In a confrontation scene, he laughs off Hoback’s theories, stating, “I’ll say, yeah, of course I’m Satoshi. And I’m Craig Wright.” This sarcastic response echoes his previous jokes about being Satoshi, highlighting the absurdity of the claim.
The cryptocurrency community seems equally skeptical. At a viewing party in New York’s PubKey bar, attendees laughed at the suggestion of Todd being Satoshi. One viewer remarked, “They left enough plausible deniability that you [a random person] could be Satoshi.”
This latest attempt to unveil Satoshi’s identity joins a long list of failed revelations. Previous suspects have included Hal Finney, Nick Szabo, and the infamous Craig Wright, all of whom have denied or been disproven as Bitcoin’s creator.
As the debate rages on, the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto remains one of the biggest mysteries in the crypto world. For more on the history of Bitcoin and its enigmatic creator, check out our comprehensive guide here.
Stay tuned to our news section for the latest developments in this ongoing saga on HBO’s controversial documentary.
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