Former Bitcoin Dev Peter Todd Denies He’s Satoshi Hours Before HBO Documentary Airs

In an email to CoinDesk, Todd said filmmaker Cullen Hoback, best known for identifying the person behind the QAnon conspiracy theory in an earlier series for HBO, was “grasping at straws” in accusing Todd of being Satoshi.

He indeed verified that the interview took place, and he feels confident that the particular scene wasn’t manipulated using deepfake technology. However, it’s worth noting that he hasn’t watched the entire documentary yet.

Todd made it clear, “Absolutely, I’m not Satoshi. It’s quite amusing, really, that a person like me, who is recognized for a documentary about QAnon, would fall into the trap of believing in QAnon-like coincidence theories myself.

In New York City on Tuesday afternoon, just hours before the debut of “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Enigma,” the majority (78.5%) of bets on Polymarket suggested that the film would reveal Satoshi to be someone other than Len Sassaman or Nick Szabo, who had previously been considered top candidates for HBO’s portrayal of Satoshi.

When the Polymarket wager was first established, Todd wasn’t among the potential options. As such, those who wished to place a bet on Todd as the movie’s “reveal” would have needed to select “Other/Multiple.

Even in the clips circulating on social media,Todd calls the theory that he is Satoshi “ludicrous.”

It should be noted that only parts of the movie are available online, which implies there might be a chance that in the final analysis, Hoback could arrive at a distinct perspective regarding Satoshi’s identity compared to the depiction in the Todd scene.

In that particular moment, Hoback seems to challenge Todd, presenting his hypothesis about Todd’s alleged role in the creation of Bitcoin and explaining the reasons behind its concealment. However, Todd merely dismisses Hoback’s claims by shaking his head and chuckling.

In the video, Todd says, “You certainly have a unique imagination, and you propose some outlandish ideas. They seem implausible,” but he adds, “Still, I’d concede that yes, indeed I am Satoshi. And I am Craig Wright.

It’s obvious this statement is just a jest; Todd has a history of making humorous remarks like this, such as when he told Peter McCormack during their 2019 What Bitcoin Did podcast that “I am Satoshi, as is everyone else.

As the video unfolds, Todd, chuckling, corrects Hoback for jumping to a wrong assumption.

Todd remarked, “I think it’ll be quite amusing when you incorporate this into your documentary and bitcoin enthusiasts see it. I have a feeling many of them will appreciate it more if you take this approach, as it’s another instance of reporters failing to grasp the essence in a way that’s downright comical.

Hoback responds by asking what the point is.

“The point is to make Bitcoin the global currency,” Todd responds.

A few seconds from the scene appear in the official trailer for the film.

In the video, Blockstream CEO Adam Back, seen alongside Todd, did not provide a comment when asked by CoinDesk.

Despite his significant role as an early Bitcoin developer and contributions during the initial years of Bitcoin, Todd has never been a leading candidate in journalists’ long-standing investigation seeking the identity of Satoshi. Instead, figures such as Hal Finney, Nick Szabo, and Dorian Nakamoto are often proposed as the creator of Bitcoin, although all have publicly denied being Satoshi.

In the McCormack podcast, Todd shared that he acquired his initial Bitcoins when each coin cost about 20 cents. This suggests he likely bought them in October 2010, roughly two years following the release of the Bitcoin whitepaper.

On Monday evening, I shared a post indicating that individuals placing bets are essentially wagering based on the conclusions drawn from the documentary. However, it’s essential to remember that given the anonymity surrounding Satoshi Nakamoto, these conclusions may not necessarily hold true. This is something to keep in mind when making such bets.

Past efforts by various news outlets to reveal Satoshi Nakamoto’s real identity have proven fruitless, as they mistakenly identified individuals such as programmer Dorian P. Nakamoto and self-proclaimed impostor Craig S. Wright as the true creator.