30s Summary

Canadian coder Peter Todd, who is alleged to have created Bitcoin, is reportedly going into hiding due to safety concerns. The HBO documentary “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery” identified Todd as the cryptocurrency’s creator, also known as “Satoshi Nakamoto”. Todd denies this claim, contending that the documentary manipulated evidence and suggesting that the accusation puts his safety at risk. The director insists that the identity of Nakamoto is important for disclosure. Despite the documentary’s assertions, many in the Bitcoin community still dispute that Todd is Nakamoto.

Full Article

Peter Todd, a Canadian coder who specialises in secure communications, is reportedly in hiding as he fears for his safety. Why, you ask? Well, he was identified as the person who created Bitcoin in a recent HBO documentary, “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery”. To cool you in, a person — or possibly a group of people — named Satoshi Nakamoto is believed to have invented Bitcoin. But nobody knows who this Satoshi guy (or guys) actually is.

In the wrap up of the movie, Todd says, “Well yeah, I’m Satoshi Nakamoto.” Bit of a whopper, right? But hold up, because Todd has consistently said he’s not the Mr. Nakamoto we’re all looking for. According to a recent chat he had with Wired, he’s even had to start laying low because he’s worried about his safety. He reckons the director of the movie, a guy named Cullen Hoback, played fast and loose with the evidence to make it seem like Todd’s secret alter-ego is Satoshi.

Here’s where it gets interesting: Clips from the movie, and some folks who’ve been following the situation, have pointed out that Todd has a bit of a history of kidding around and saying, “I’m Satoshi”. Kind of like that iconic scene in the film “Spartacus”, when all the warriors claim to be Spartacus to trick the Romans and stick up for their buddy.

Fast forward to now, and Todd says he agreed to appear in the HBO doco because he was under the impression it was just about Bitcoin’s history. Sure, that ended with him being named as the elusive Nakamoto, and now he’s afraid for his life. He spilled to Wired:

“Obviously, falsely claiming that ordinary people of ordinary wealth are extraordinarily rich exposes them to threats like robbery and kidnapping. Not only is the question dumb, it’s dangerous.”

Meanwhile, the director thinks Todd and others are overreacting and doesn’t believe anyone is in danger by outing Nakamoto. He reckons it’s important to know who the person is, especially since this “anonymous figure out there controls one-twentieth of the total supply of digital gold”.

So far, though, not a lot of folks in the Bitcoin community are buying this “Todd is Nakamoto” story. As for Todd himself, he’s sticking to his guns and insisting he’s not Satoshi.

Source: Cointelegraph