In a shocking twist of events, Peter Todd claims his life has become a nightmare following the airing of the HBO documentary Money Electric, which suggests he is Satoshi, the elusive creator of Bitcoin. Todd, who took center stage in the film, strongly denies these claims and has expressed serious concerns about his safety.
The documentary, led by journalist Cullen Hoback, dives deep into Bitcoin’s intriguing history and explores the enigma of its creator. The identity of Satoshi has puzzled many journalists for years, with countless attempts to uncover the man behind the myth. So why is this mystery so crucial? Unraveling Satoshi’s identity could shed light on the motivations behind Bitcoin’s creation. Plus, Satoshi is believed to control a wallet containing billions of dollars in untouched Bitcoin.
“Falsely accusing someone of having tens of billions of dollars puts them at risk from robbery and kidnappings,” Todd told Bloomberg after the documentary’s release. “He’s putting my life at risk to promote his movie.”
Since the airing, Todd’s inbox has exploded with messages, mainly from people looking for money. Now in hiding, he admits, “This is just the way it’s going to be for the rest of my life.” He finds the questions about his identity not only irritating but dangerous. “Satoshi didn’t want to be found for good reasons, and no one should help people trying to find Satoshi,” he added.
Hoback’s claims that Peter Todd is Satoshi are based on some tenuous evidence that the cryptocurrency community has largely dismissed. Todd was active in crypto forums when Bitcoin first emerged. In December 2010, Satoshi was posting on BitcoinTalk, and Todd allegedly corrected him after a slip-up. For Hoback, this moment seemed to imply that Todd had completed Satoshi’s thought.
Compounding the situation, Todd appears in the film with a grin, repeatedly stating, “I am Satoshi.” However, Todd, known for his trolling, insists this was all in jest. In a recent post on X, he retweeted a joke suggesting Hoback might be Satoshi.
Todd provided Wired with photos from 2010 as evidence that he could not have been Satoshi, claiming metadata from the images supports his alibi. “If I had actually replied to myself by accident, the obvious thing to do would have been to just abandon that account and make a new one,” he explained.
Despite Todd’s insistence, Hoback remains steadfast in his belief that Todd is indeed Satoshi. The debate continues, leaving the question of Bitcoin’s creator hanging in the balance.
