Bitcoin Creator Is Peter Todd, HBO Film Says (politico.eu) 74
A new HBO documentary claims Canadian developer Peter Todd is Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous founder of bitcoin. The documentary's director, Emmy-nominated filmmaker Cullen Hoback, "comes to the conclusion by stitching together old clues and new ones," reports Politico. In the film's finale, Hoback confronted Todd and said: "It seems like you had these deep insights into bitcoin at the time?" Todd replies: "Well, yeah, I'm Satoshi Nakamoto." From the report: The admission, however, is not necessarily a smoking gun. Todd, who is a vocal backer of Ukraine and Israel on his X feed, is known to invoke the claim "I am Satoshi" as an expression of solidarity with the creator's bid for privacy. In an email to CoinDesk prior to the documentary's release, Todd reportedly denied he was the bitcoin creator: "Of course I'm not Satoshi," he said. If Todd is widely accepted as bitcoin's creator, the revelation would end more than a decade of speculation over the identity of a person whose work spawned a global, multibillion-dollar craze for digital currencies: a mania that has pushed back the frontiers of finance but also enabled widespread fraud and other illicit activities.
Todd is not unknown to enthusiasts of the stateless money system. As a longstanding bitcoin core developer known for communicating publicly with "Satoshi" before his disappearance from crypto forums in 2010, his name has always carried weight in the community. But he was rarely considered a prime suspect. A 39-year-old graduate of Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, Todd would have been 23 when the famous bitcoin white paper that first laid out the vision for the decentralized money system was being completed. Todd previously told a podcast he was about 15 years old when he first started communicating with key crypto influencers, known as the cypherpunks. "In investigations like these, digital forensics can only take you so far; they're like a compass," Hoback told POLITICO before the documentary aired. "Real answers can only be found offline."
Todd is not unknown to enthusiasts of the stateless money system. As a longstanding bitcoin core developer known for communicating publicly with "Satoshi" before his disappearance from crypto forums in 2010, his name has always carried weight in the community. But he was rarely considered a prime suspect. A 39-year-old graduate of Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, Todd would have been 23 when the famous bitcoin white paper that first laid out the vision for the decentralized money system was being completed. Todd previously told a podcast he was about 15 years old when he first started communicating with key crypto influencers, known as the cypherpunks. "In investigations like these, digital forensics can only take you so far; they're like a compass," Hoback told POLITICO before the documentary aired. "Real answers can only be found offline."
no one with even an inkling will ever talk (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
He's publicly denied it to the BBC anyway now: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/art... [bbc.co.uk]
Re: no one with even an inkling will ever talk (Score:4, Insightful)
This is the exact opposite of reality. People blab all the time, regardless of the stakes.
Why does it matter whom he backs? (Score:5, Interesting)
Is there some reason why his support for certain countries on this Xitter feed matters in the context of this story? If he really is Satoshi then that's cool and all but cmon now, it's like the summary author is just looking for an excuse to stir the pot.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
"power money laundering efforts - which is effectively what the Ukraine and Israel conflicts are, to the US establishment."
Wow, there's full of shit and there's total 100% gold plated delusional garbage. Stick to licking windows my friend, you're probably good at that.
Re: (Score:1)
That pattern isn't called "money laundering," it's called "selling arms" and "using arms." The products are delivered, and they're either used in combat or they replace products that are used in combat.
Re: (Score:2)
Where is any money laundered in any of that?
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, since it's completely orthogonal to the topic of him being Satoshi.
Re: (Score:3)
But is he left-handed? And what's his favorite hockey team?
Re: Why does it matter whom he backs? (Score:2)
Ah yes backing a sports team and supporting genocide are certainly equivalent.
If youâ(TM)re an amoral sack of human dogshit.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
...the summary author is just looking for an excuse to stir the pot.
That is pretty much all most "journalists" do these days. Anything for a click.
Probably just another left leaning journo... (Score:1)
... subtly trying to polish his woke credentials. While the Isreal conflict is somewhat morally grey these days, anyone who is on the side of Russia in the ukraine war should perhaps move to moscow and get the true murderous dictatorial experience that obviously crave.
Re: (Score:3)
Sigh... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
I'm Spartacoin! No, I'm Spartacoin!...
Re: (Score:2)
+1
Re: (Score:2)
Fanatics cannot stop to fanatic. It is an old problem though:
"A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject." (Attributed to Churchill)
I'm dubious (Score:4, Funny)
Canadian developer Peter Todd is [Bitcoin creator] Satoshi Nakamoto,
Satoshi Nakamoto is not even close to being an anagram for Peter Todd.
(That's how these things, right?)
Re:I'm dubious (Score:5, Funny)
I think Satoshi really did want to be anonymous, because it's an anagram of "AMA? Ask not, i' sooth."
Re: (Score:2)
Anton Koma
Re: Oh horseshit (Score:2)
Senior year undergrad? Nope.
Re: (Score:2)
Blame Canada! (Score:5, Funny)
Canadian developer Peter Todd is Satoshi Nakamoto,
Blame Canada!
Super misleading marketing (Score:2)
They were saying the announcement would affect the election and finical markets worldwide.
Even if true this is about the most boring version of news they could have possibly released.
Re: (Score:2)
They were saying the announcement would affect the election and finical markets worldwide.
Who are "they"?
This would be earth shattering news... (Score:2)
Re: This would be earth shattering news... (Score:3)
But Lovecruft appears to have doubled down on her accusations against Todd, having since posting a tweet alleging once again that âoePeter Todd is a rapistâ despite asserting that âoehe didnâ(TM)t rape me.â
Re: (Score:2)
Indeed. The whole thing is about control, market-manipulation, money-laundering, financing crime and a lot of useful idiots.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
There are ample theories as to why he hasn't touched his wallet. For example, one theory, which is the most compelling I've seen as to who Satoshi is, is Paul Le Roux [wired.com], a Rhodesian criminal overlord and anti-government online-currency-obsessed cryptography programmer, who had every possible motive (laundering his profits), means (literally had an office full of paid programmers working for him), and was deeply involved in the space (also fits all of the peripheral clues, such as being roughly on GMT timezon
Re: Peter Todd immediately says he is not Satoshi. (Score:2)
I have no opinion on your la roux theory, but I agree with your conclusion that the least likely explanation is benign ideological purity.
no (Score:2)
The Bitcon crapto? Who cares... (Score:2)
Seriously, the whole thing is now nothing but a large criminal enterprise.
Reinforces idea that crypto is inherently shady (Score:4, Interesting)
I just saw that show. Interesting. The question of who Satoshi is is so arcane, and by now steeped in so much suspicion and uncertainty, that no claim to know the real identity will be trusted or deemed credible - at best a sense of plausibility but with reservations.
I liked the show. I thought they did a good job in not being overly dogmatic or insisting they knew with certainty, and they case they make has its plausible evidence.
So, who knows?
But, what did impress me is this. The show has many interviews and footage and other "first hand" views into the thoughts and words of many people involved with crypto and Bitcoin. It seems that there were some early thinkers-founders-inventors who may indeed have been motivated by the novel idea of it, the intent to do good, be an ideologue for privacy, etc. But, the exorbitant run up of enthusiasm and price comes from people who see it only as a way to inflate its own price in anticipation of cashing out some day. Call it what you will, but the enthusiasts are using it as a security rather than a currency.
Many stocks pay a dividend, providing some income for shareholders, even if the shareholder hopes or plans is to cash out on the elevated stock price. For crypto, the comparable "dividend", i.e pragmatic benefit, is the convenience that you can use it like cash if you choose to. In that sense, it is not strictly vaporware.
I still do not understand why we need a novel e-cash if we already have long established systems of electronic payments, receipts, and cash transfers - just make it more generally available for those who want to use it instead of handling coin and paper, but still backed by national stable-value fiat currencies. A government could go further and add credit-debit card still transaction cards that would serve the same purpose as cash but without private credit card companies or banks collecting a fee. The new technologies could and maybe should prompt us to find convenient new payment methods for people who prefer not to carry cash or collect change. On the other hand, there are many well enunciated reasons why coins and bills serve crucial purposes for many people, especially those without digital access, and for privacy, and thus they must never go away in a non-authoritarian country.
If nothing else, the show did a good job opening elements of the crypto story that are not always forefront in daily news, at least for me who does not follow the subject very intently.
But to reiterate, what impressed me most is that the biggest fanboys for crypto seem to be those who are betting on making big bank by the continued escalation of price. They use crypto as an investment, and that is not the same as currency or money. And it cannot inflate forever. And it is not backed by anything of tangible value that you can eat or build a house or pair of shoes with - so it is a ponzi scheme which will have early winners and late losers. I especially enjoyed the clips and interviews with people who had already lost money and were indignant that they did - because they seem to honestly have expected that it was a a surefire investment opportunity.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
I never really understood the privacy angle with Bitcoin. the ledger is public, everyone can see every transaction. It's not difficult to then tie transactions to real people. They only way around it is trusting a shady mixer and paying whatever fees they require for the privilege.
It seems to me that Bitcoin was never designed for privacy, only to take control away from governments. It didn't even do that very well. More a proof of concept than a serious attempt at a revolution.
Re: (Score:1)
>I never really understood the privacy angle with Bitcoin.
OK. Now apply that lesson to literally everything a pro-Bitcoin person says about Bitcoin and you'll finally understand.
It's all bullshit. An interesting solution to a math problem without any comprehension of how it can never apply in the real world at any scale for anything that matters... other than money laundering, gambling, and fraud. The real world already has better solutions deployed and every solution to Bitcoin's issues involved bypa
Re: (Score:1)
Bitcoin seems pretty successful in the ransomware sphere. It does have some use cases. /s
None of the crypto currencies seem to work very well. Etherium tried proof of stake to bring down energy costs, but it's still at heart a scam where people farm "gas" fees from marks who were convinced to use it.
Re: (Score:2)
In your analysis I get the impression you have not been exposed to the reasons a hard money is required for a flourishing society.
The current fiat system is stealing 5-10% per year of human productivity.
That is the reason for prices going up, when technology and increased productivity should be making everything cheaper over time.
To your points above:
- Money is a ledger (of your time and energy)
- A ledger does not need to be backed by anything, but Bitcoin is, its backed and secured by energy
- It should ret
Re: (Score:3)
I just saw that show. Interesting. The question of who Satoshi is is so arcane, and by now steeped in so much suspicion and uncertainty, that no claim to know the real identity will be trusted or deemed credible - at best a sense of plausibility but with reservations.
If someone wanted to prove they were Satoshi, all they would have to do is sign the statement with Satoshi's wallet private key. Not really arcane or intractable. If he is still alive, I think he just definitively does not want to be identified. Maybe he's hanging out with D. B. Cooper, the grassy knoll gunman, and Tupac.
nah, but (Score:5, Interesting)
The cypherpunks remark is the only interesting part here.
There are several cypherpunks who never need to work again. Already having enough money to cover all your reasonable needs is what has the best chance of putting someone in a position of not touching those billions that allegedly are still in wallets belonging to Satoshi.
That doesn't mean Satoshi is a cypherpunk. Just that he's likely in a similar situation in life.
Move some coins or GTFO (Score:1)
Subject
Everyone is Satoshi (Score:2)
Until someone can sign something with the private key for the coinbase tied to the genesis block.
Re: (Score:2)
I believe him (Score:4, Funny)
Banksy is Satoshi Nakamoto (Score:2)
LOL (Score:1)
I'll bet a $100 it is really PRZ! (Score:2)
Sigh (Score:2)
Based on what evidence?
Before I Watch (Score:2)
Does Geraldo open the Bitcoin Vault?
Re: (Score:2)
Copying something that fooled the gullible long enough ago most have forgotten is probably a very workable business model.
I am Neegan. (Score:3)
How many people claim to be Satoshi?
It reminds me of the old joke about when there was a huge flood in our school that closed it down for a few days. The adults all said the same silly joke. "Three people tried, one person succeeded, fifteen tried to take credit."
I'm not Satoshi Nakamoto (Score:2)
It's obvious (Score:2)
Just think about it:
- Who would feel the need to use a fake identity?
- Who would have the knowledge and insight to not only create a new form of currency from scratch, but to get it right on the first try?
- Who wouldn't even bother to touch their fortune of billions?
There's only one answer: Aliens
First they built the pyramids, then they made a bunch of crop circles, next they probed my buddy Doug, and finally they invented Bitcoin!
Might as well say... (Score:2)
"I'm Spartacus!"
\o/ (Score:1)
https://youtu.be/n-iElbJd8TA?t... [youtu.be]
Re: (Score:1)
Lol, Meta-I'm Spartacus - several others had the same idea.
My guesses (Score:2)
I am convinced that the first name of the Bitcoin inventor is Anton.