True Identity Of Bitcoin Creator Satoshi Nakamoto Revealed?

Ever since bitcoin came into existence nearly 6 years ago, there has always been a mystery around the identity of its creator. Nobody knew about Satoshi Nakamoto, whether it’s a single person or group of developers – absolutely nothing.

According to a latest report from Wired, Craig Steven Wright, a 44-year-old Australian, could be the person behind bitcoins. While introducing himself via Skype at the Bitcoin Investor’s Conference, Wright started off saying that he is a “former academic who does research that no one ever hears about…”, to which the event host Michele Seven cuts in and asks, “Hold on a second, who are you? Are you a computer scientist? Are you a miner?”

“I’m a bit of everything,” Wright responded. “I have a masters in law…a master’s in statistics, a couple doctorates…”

Still unsure about Wright’s significance, Seven asks “How did you first learn about bitcoin?” to which Wright replies, “Um. I’ve been involved with all this for a long time. I—try and stay—I keep my head down. Um…” 

While he did not explicitly say that he was indeed Satoshi Nakamoto, Wired magazine said that it has obtained strong evidence (leaked emails, documents and web archives) that suggest that Wright and his close friend and confidant David Kleiman who died in 2013, could be the people behind Satoshi Nakamoto’s mask.

According to a leaked email, Wright wrote to Kleiman, “People love my secret identity and hate me. I have hundreds of papers. Satoshi has one. Nothing, just one bloody paper and I [can’t] associate myself with ME!”

Gizmodo also reported that the documents obtained by it, many of which were corroborated by interviews, show “Wright claiming to have played a role in the invention of the cryptocurrency.”

Gizmodo provides another email from Wright to Kleiman in which he wrote, “I cannot do the Satoshi bit anymore. They longer listen. I am better as a myth…I hate this Dave, my pseudonym is more popular than I can ever hope to be”.

Following the news, the Australian Federal Police raided Wright’s Sydney home on Wednesday, Reuters reported. However, the AFP said in a statement that the officers' "presence at Mr. Wright's property is not associated with the media reporting overnight about bitcoins".

Reuters also pointed out that as an early miner of bitcoins, Nakamoto has approximately 1 million bitcoins, worth over $400 million at present exchange rates, according to bitcoin expert Sergio Demian Lerner.

It still cannot be said with certainty that Wright is the cryptocurrency creator as Andy Greenberg and Gwern Branwen of Wired wrote, “Two possibilities outweigh all others: Either Wright invented bitcoin, or he’s a brilliant hoaxer who very badly wants us to believe he did.”