Wired reported on October 22 that Canadian cryptologist Peter Todd has gone into hiding following the release of an HBO documentary indicting Bitcoin's elusive founder Satoshi Nakamoto.
The film, called “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery,” aired on October 9th and claimed to reveal Nakamoto's true identity after years of speculation.
The documentary, directed by filmmaker Karen Hoback, examines the many candidates for the role of Bitcoin's founder, ultimately focusing on Todd, but Todd is the last of the film's final In the scene he said:
“Well, I'm Satoshi Nakamoto.”
Todd later clarified that his remarks were taken out of context and were meant as a joke. He has consistently denied being Nakamoto, calling the claims false and dangerous.
In an interview with Wired, he expressed concerns about his safety after the documentary's release. He stressed that Nakamoto's decision to remain anonymous was a deliberate and wise one, and urged people to refrain from attempting to “reveal his identity.”
He also highlighted the risks by saying:
“Falsely portraying ordinary people as abnormally wealthy exposes them to threats such as robbery and kidnapping.”
Todd said he agreed to participate in the documentary because he believed the documentary explored Bitcoin's history, rather than revealing its creator. Now, he says, the attention he's getting has caused him safety concerns and he's gone into hiding.
As part of his evidence, Hoback used footage of Todd jokingly claiming to be Satoshi Nakamoto, a moment Todd compared to a famous scene from the 1960 film Spartacus. There, each captured warrior claimed to be the leader, and the identity of the real leader was hidden and protected.
Todd dismissed the comment as nothing more than a light-hearted reference to a phrase or sentiment that often resonates with many in the Bitcoin community.
Despite Todd's objections, Hoback continued to support the film's story. Hoback said in a statement to Wired that Nakamoto's identity cannot be determined given the potential influence the individual has by controlling a significant portion of the total Bitcoin supply. argued that it was extremely important.
he said:
“This person controls one-twentieth of all the digital gold in existence. It is essential that we know who this is.”
However, the film's conclusion failed to sway many in the crypto community who remain skeptical of Todd's claim to be the real Satoshi Nakamoto. Many see the documentary's evidence as weak and circumstantial, with little to definitively link Todd to the creation of Bitcoin.
As the discussion continued, Todd urged respect for Nakamoto's desire for privacy and warned that speculation about the author's identity is not only counterproductive but poses real-world risks.
