A high-stakes lawsuit demands the U.S. government release buried documents revealing bitcoin’s true creators, after claims of a secret DHS interview with Satoshi Nakamoto.
Satoshi Nakamoto Unmasked? DHS Accused of Hiding Explosive Bitcoin Founder’s Interview
Attorney James Murphy has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia demanding that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) release documents revealing what the agency knows about the identity of bitcoin’s elusive creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Murphy initiated the action on April 7, after DHS failed to respond to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request he submitted on Feb. 12.
The request stemmed from a 2019 public presentation during which DHS Special Agent Rana Saoud declared that her agency had interviewed Satoshi. The complaint states:
During her April 29, 2019 public presentation, Special Agent Saoud affirmed that DHS knows the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto.
Murphy, an attorney who publishes digital asset legal analysis on social media platform X under the handle @MetaLawMan, argues the public deserves access to this information, especially amid rising governmental interest in bitcoin.
The lawsuit outlines Saoud’s comments at the OffshoreAlert Conference North America, where she described a DHS mission to California that led to an in-person interview with four individuals involved in bitcoin’s creation. The lawsuit states that Saoud recounted how agents traveled to California and discovered that Satoshi Nakamoto was not the sole creator of bitcoin. Saoud was quoted as saying:
He wasn’t alone in creating this. There were 3 other people. And they sat down and met with them and talked to them to find out how this actually works and what their reason for it was.
Despite this claim, the Department of Homeland Security has not released interview transcripts, recordings, or internal communications related to the meeting.
Murphy stressed the broader implications of DHS’s secrecy, especially in light of recent government initiatives involving bitcoin. He emphasized:
These records are immensely important, as federal and state officials are currently taking steps to investigate potential investment in bitcoin.
His FOIA request and lawsuit come amid growing interest in bitcoin as a reserve asset by public institutions. The U.S. Senate is considering legislation to create a bitcoin reserve managed by the U.S. Treasury while approximately 20 states are weighing bills to allow public funds to be invested in bitcoin. The lawyer also cites broader adoption by public and private companies, as well as an executive order from President Donald Trump establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, to argue that transparency is critical. With the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement yet to release any records or confirm processing of his request, Murphy is asking the court to compel a response.
