Search for Satoshi Nakamoto: Will the Bitcoin Creator's Identity Remain a Mystery Forever?

From financemagnates by Arnab Shome

Stephen Mollah at stage claiming to be Satoshi Nakamoto; Source: YouTube

Bitcoin is currently trading at an all-time high, with anticipation of further gains. However, the identity of its creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, remains a mystery. Despite recent claims, including one by the broadcaster HBO and another by a questionable figure, no one knows who Satoshi Nakamoto truly is.

The search to reveal Nakamoto's identity has been ongoing for years.

Last month,  HBO released a documentary  claiming that Canadian software engineer Peter Todd, who was involved in the early development of Bitcoin, is Satoshi Nakamoto. However, Todd quickly denied the claims, stating that he was not Nakamoto.

"I am Satoshi Nakamoto"

In an intriguing turn, a man named Stephen Mollah recently held a press conference in London, also claiming to be  Satoshi Nakamoto .

A dozen journalists attended the event, more out of curiosity to test his claims than to resolve the Nakamoto mystery. According to a BBC report, the event organiser charged journalists £100 for front-row seats and another £50 for unlimited questions to Mollah. The organiser, Charles Anderson, even offered a BBC journalist an opportunity to interview Mollah on stage for £500, but the proposal was declined.

“I am here to make a statement that, yes: I am Satoshi Nakamoto, and I created Bitcoin using Blockchain technology,” Mollah declared on stage. However, he failed to provide any convincing evidence.

🚨Another day, another Satoshi Nakamoto claim.Today, Stephen Mollah, claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto at a press conference in London.Is this the real deal, or just another hoax? 🧐  pic.twitter.com/hGp7AldKOz

— Benzinga Crypto (@benzingacrypto) October 31, 2024

A Questionable Character

The BBC report described the experience as ranging from amusement to irritation over the next hour. Representatives from the prestigious Frontline Club interrupted the event to clarify that they only provided the room and did not endorse any of the claims. The attendees soon became sceptical.

Interestingly, both Mollah and Anderson are also embroiled in a legal dispute over fraud allegations connected to claims of being the creator of Bitcoin.

Mollah is not the first, nor likely the last, to claim to be Satoshi.

In 2014, Newsweek suggested that Dorian Nakamoto, a Japanese-American man, was the mastermind behind Bitcoin. However, he denied it.The most dramatic claim came from Australian computer scientist  Craig Wright , who engaged in court battles for years to establish his claim. However, his claims were dismissed by the High Court in London.