HBO identifies bitcoin creator: Developer Peter Todd plans to file a lawsuit

Tengrinews.kz - HBO has named the creator of bitcoin. Now the developer threatens to sue.

According to Politico, one of the bitcoin developers, Peter Todd, has announced his intention to file a lawsuit against HBO regarding a recent documentary in which he is identified as the creator of the first cryptocurrency, known under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. The film, directed by renowned documentary filmmaker Cullen Hoback, has sparked a wave of discussion in the crypto community after Todd allegedly admits at the end of the film that he is Satoshi Nakamoto.

The documentary claims that Hoback gathered evidence convincing him that Todd is the true creator of bitcoin. In the film's climactic moment, Todd is asked, "It seems like you had these deep insights into bitcoin at the time?" To which Todd responds, "Well, yeah, I'm Satoshi Nakamoto."

However, Todd has repeatedly claimed that he is not the creator of bitcoin, using the phrase "I am Satoshi" only to express solidarity with the creator's anonymity. In one of his emails to CoinDesk, he denied any involvement, stating, "Of course I'm not Satoshi."

Nevertheless, HBO film uses this statement as one of the pieces of evidence that Todd is the founder of the world's largest cryptocurrency, which, according to Peter Todd, not only misinforms the public but also damages his professional reputation.

Peter Todd is a long-time bitcoin developer known for his contributions to the development and protection of the project. He communicated with Satoshi Nakamoto before his disappearance from crypto forums in 2010, but until then, he was not considered a potential creator of bitcoin. Todd is active on social media but has never made serious claims about his role in the creation of the cryptocurrency.

Crypto enthusiasts reacted skeptically to the claims made in HBO film. Jameson Lopp, one of the co-founders of bitcoin company Casa, called HBO's new theory "another load of nonsense" and added that wherever Satoshi may be, he is probably laughing at what’s happening. Crypto investor Nic Carter, who has known Todd since 2017, also expressed confidence that Todd could not be Satoshi due to a lack of depth in knowledge of cryptography and digital monetary systems required to create bitcoin.

Todd plans to sue HBO for defamation, claiming that the film spreads false information about his involvement in the creation of bitcoin and harms his reputation. He noted that HBO deliberately interpreted his words as a confession, whereas he was merely being ironic.

Critics of the film also point to the questionable investigative methods used by director Cullen Hoback, including unreliable digital forensics and manipulative interviews. Despite the bold claims, many experts in the crypto industry doubt that the film will resolve the disputes over who is behind the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto.