Key Takeaways
- Canadian Bitcoin core developer Peter Todd has gone into hiding after being unmasked as Satoshi Nakamoto.
- Todd has vehemently denied the claims since the documentary aired.
- The software engineer claims he has been harassed by “crazy people” since the accusations.
Bitcoin’s mysterious creator, the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, was recently unmasked as Peter Todd by HBO’s documentary Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery.
The Canadian software engineer and respected historic Bitcoin developer has vehemently denied the claims—and has now gone into hiding out of fear for his safety.
Peter Todd Denies Nakamoto Accusations
The documentary by Cullen Hoback made a major stir in the crypto industry with its promise of unmasking the identity of the Nakamoto enigma.
In the climax of the series, Hoback confronted Todd with the accusation that he was the creator of Bitcoin.
Since the documentary aired, Todd claims he has been regularly harassed by “crazy people” asking for money.
The Canadian developer said that the new target on his back has opened him up for “threats like robbery and kidnapping.”
“For the record, I am not Satoshi,” he told WIRED. “I think Cullen made the Satoshi accusation for marketing. He needed a way to get attention for his film.”
A Target on Todd’s Back
The Canadian software engineer has now entered hiding out of fear of having a target on his back.
Todd, who undoubtedly played a significant role in the early days of Bitcoin, has continued to vehemently deny the claims since the documentary was aired.
However, Hoback has doubled down on his theories, claiming Todd’s strong denial proves his accusation is correct.
The documentary maker claimed that Todd was an “unbelievable genius” and “master of game theory.” Hoback said Todd’s aggressive denial was just another tactic to distract sleuths from Nakamoto’s true identity.
Nakamoto Still an Enigma
Todd is now bringing out all the stops to remove himself from the burden of being Nakamoto.
The Canadian software developer has reportedly shared images of himself skiing to WIRED. The developer said the photo’s metadata proves he was busy while Nakamoto was posting on the BitcoinTalk forum.
It’s an interesting tactic from Todd, especially since he claims that Nakamoto himself would deny all claims if he were caught.
If Todd truly wasn’t Nakamoto, would he be fighting so hard to disprove the claims, or did Hoback’s documentary get caught in tunnel vision toward the developer? Right now, it’s impossible to know.
“Satoshi obviously didn’t want to be found, for good reasons, and no one should help people trying to find Satoshi,” Todd said.
Kurt Robson is a London-based reporter at CCN, specialising in the fast-moving worlds of crypto and emerging technology. He began his career covering local news in Cornwall after graduating from Falmouth University with First Class Honours in Journalism. There, he cut his teeth on everything from council meetings to missing swans.
He quickly rose through the ranks to become a frontline journalist at several of the UK’s leading national newspapers. Over the years, he has interviewed musicians and celebrities, reported from courtrooms and crime scenes, and secured multiple front-page exclusives.
Following the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kurt shifted his focus to technology journalism—just ahead of the AI boom. With a natural curiosity and a trained eye for emerging trends, he has found a new rhythm in reporting on innovation.
At CCN, Kurt's work focuses on the cutting edge of crypto, blockchain, AI, and the evolving digital world. Drawing on his background in people-first reporting and his deep interest in disruptive tech, Kurt delivers stories that are insightful, entertaining, and human-centric.
