Peter Todd Refutes Claims of Being Satoshi After HBO Documentary

A recently aired HBO documentary titled “Electric Money: The Bitcoin Mystery,” directed by Cullen Hoback, premiered on October 8. It proposes that Peter Todd, a 39-year-old software engineer, could be Satoshi Nakamoto, the enigmatic founder of Bitcoin.

Nevertheless, the documentary’s findings are mainly circumstantial, concentrating on Todd’s early contributions to Bitcoin and his associations with significant figures, including cryptographer Adam Back.

Notable evidence consists of a 2010 forum post where Todd appears to reflect Nakamoto’s ideas and a chat transcript featuring Todd’s mention of “sacrificing” Bitcoins.

The filmmaker suggests that this might allude to Satoshi’s unspent BTC reserves, which exceed one million coins valued at approximately $65 billion.

Todd: I’m Not Satoshi

BitMEX Research commented, “This is clearly outrageous,” and characterized Todd’s interaction with Satoshi as a “snarky, pedantic, and accurate response.”

“This is precisely the kind of remark Peter could make today. There is absolutely no reason to believe this was Satoshi.”

According to Forbes, HBO will allege that @peterktodd is Satoshi…

The Forbes article notes that “a 2010 BitcoinTalk post responding to Satoshi Nakamoto that [Cullen] Hoback believes was inadvertently posted using Todd’s profile”

This is utterly absurd! It merely serves as an example of… pic.twitter.com/mjFnHn7Zak

— BitMEX Research (@BitMEXResearch) October 8, 2024

While Todd is not a prominent figure in crypto communities, he remains active on X, boasting 167,000 followers. He has a polarizing online persona and ties to Ukraine, tweeting on October 9 after traditional media highlighted the story.

“I have some personal ties to Ukraine, and I’ve visited multiple times during the full-scale invasion […] giving presentations to the Ukrainian Bitcoin community.”

In a CNN interview, the documentary’s director, Cullen Hoback, stated that Peter Todd explicitly denied being Satoshi Nakamoto, labeling the film as “irresponsible” and alleging it endangers his life.

Todd mentioned that HBO did not contact him prior to the film’s release nor did they provide him an opportunity to preview it, though Hoback remains assured of his conclusions despite Todd’s denial.

“Cullen is grasping at straws here,” Todd told CNN, adding, “He is exaggerating a few coincidences into something much larger. Ironic, really: that’s a typical trait of conspiracy thinking.”

Plot twist: it was signed by Adam Back pretending to be me pretending to be him. https://t.co/ebeQRGOJiA

— Peter Todd (@peterktodd) October 7, 2024

So Who Is He?

Todd holds a degree from the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto and would have been 23 when the Bitcoin white paper was finished.

He asserts that he initiated contact with prominent crypto figures and cypherpunks around the age of 15.

Castle Island Ventures’ partner Nic Carter, who has known Todd since 2017, remarked, “He is among the most significant Bitcoiners from a technical standpoint,” although he doesn’t endorse the idea that Todd is Satoshi.

Bitcoiner Jameson Lopp also expressed skepticism regarding the assertion.

Wherever Satoshi may be, I like to believe they’re enjoying a laugh at this latest round of absurdity.

— Jameson Lopp (@lopp) October 8, 2024

No significant reaction occurred in the Bitcoin markets, as the asset continued to trade within its established range, priced at $62,260 at the time of this report.