A new press release has claimed to uncover the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the elusive inventor of Bitcoin, in a live press conference on October 31, 2024, which is also the 16th anniversary of Bitcoin’s whitepaper publication.
As stated in the announcement, the claimed Satoshi said that mounting legal pressures have forced them to come forward to disclose their identity. The organizers promise a “live demonstration” to validate the creator’s authenticity and plan to showcase locations where “Bitcoin and Blockchain Technology were conceived.”
The event announcement follows numerous unverified assertions about Satoshi’s identity since Bitcoin’s 2008 launch, such as Craig Wright. However, a UK court ruled in March that Wright is not Satoshi, citing overwhelming evidence against his assertions and indicating that he engaged in forgery to support his claims.
Earlier this month, HBO announced it would air a documentary in a bid to reveal the identity of Satoshi. The film ended up pointing to Peter Todd, a Bitcoin core developer, as the potential Satoshi, forcing him into hiding due to safety concerns.
What we know so far
As a new candidate for Satoshi emerges, many in the crypto community are quick to dismiss the claim due to past experiences with unverified claims.
Commenting on the recent press release, Cullen Hoback, the head behind the HBO documentary, said the upcoming “Satoshi Nakamoto” reveal is a hoax.
It was later revealed that the organizer of the event, Charles Anderson, had close ties to Stephen Mollah, a British businessman accused of fraud for allegedly claiming to be Satoshi.
The allegations against him include false representations that Mollah controlled 165,000 Bitcoins, purportedly stored in Singapore. The claim was filed between November 2022 and October 2023, exposing the alleged victim, Dalmit Dohil, to significant financial losses. Dohil is prosecuting the case through private prosecution after he said Mollah misled him.
Anderson’s role in this scheme remains unclear. Neither Mollah nor Anderson have pleaded guilty to any charges of fraud by false representation. Their trial is scheduled for November 3, 2025.
