Software developer Peter Todd has emphatically stated that this is not the case Satoshi Nakamotothe enigmatic figure behind Bitcoin, in a recent interview with Bloomberg. This claim comes in response to the HBO documentary Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, which suggests that Todd may be linked to Nakamoto through circumstantial evidence.
Peter Todd responds to HBO documentary claims
In one e-mail Speaking to Bloomberg on Wednesday, Todd clarified, “I’m not Satoshi,” directly addressing the film’s implications. The documentary, directed by Cullen Hoback, suggests that Nakamoto may have accidentally used Todd’s Internet message board account to continue discussions begun under the Nakamoto pseudonym.
However, Todd refuted this claim, pointing out that his account at the time of the messages was called “retep” and that users on the Bitcoin message board typically used anonymous handles.
Todd further explained that if he had accidentally continued Nakamoto’s message under the “retep” account, he could have easily created a new account to post under his real name.
Instead, Todd revealed that he later changed the ‘retep’ account to reflect his real identity. “If Cullen had really wanted to find it Satoshihe could have easily fact-checked this,” Todd noted, suggesting that the documentary may have been more about generating buzz than uncovering the truth.
Interestingly, Todd also criticized Hoback’s approach as a “worn, indirect, chance-based” attempt to identify Nakamoto.
Peter Todd expresses his fear for safety
Bloomberg reports that the documentary’s claims raise concerns about Todd’s safety, especially considering that wallets attributed to the real Satoshi Nakamoto reportedly hold approximately 1 million Bitcoin, currently valued at approximately $62 billion . Todd expressed his concern, saying:
Of course, if someone is falsely accused of possessing tens of billions of dollars, they are at risk of theft and kidnapping. He’s putting my life in danger to promote his movie.
The true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto has long been a subject of debate speculation since Bitcoin’s introduction in January 2009. Over the years, several individuals have been suggested as potential candidates for this elusive cipher.
In 2014, Newsweek claimed that physicist Dorian Nakamoto was the creator, a claim he vehemently denied. Similarly, in 2015, the New York Times speculated that computer scientist Nick Szabo might be Nakamoto. Australian entrepreneur Craig Wright has also claimed to be Satoshi, although a British judge ruled that he is not the creator of Bitcoin.
At the time of writing, the largest cryptocurrency is trading at $61,000, down more than 2% in the past 24 hours amid the broader market correction that has led to a significant liquidity drop.
The crypto market’s total valuation currently stands at $2.088 trillion, representing an outflow of more than $200 million in the past two weeks, after hitting a nearly two-month high of $2.29 trillion in late September.
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