The Canadian cryptologist and computer scientist, Peter Todd, said he was forced to flee out of concern for his own safety, after an HBO documentary was said to have exposed him as the creator of Bitcoin (BTC).
The film titled "Crypto: The Satoshi Nakamoto Mystery", which aired on October 9, is said to have finally unveiled the mystery surrounding the true identity of "Satoshi Nakamoto", the pseudonym of the person believed to have invented Bitcoin.
Finally, after considering other potential candidates, the film ends with a questionable point when Todd declares "Yes, I am Satoshi Nakamoto."
Spartacus and Satoshi Nakamoto
Todd has repeatedly denied that he is Satoshi Nakamoto and refuted the claims made in the film. According to a recent interview with Wired, he has been forced to go into hiding due to concerns for his safety. He said that the film's director, Cullen Hoback, who directed the documentary, used opaque evidence to reinforce the film's erroneous conclusion.
Peter Todd denies being Satoshi Nakamoto on X.com. Source: Peter Todd
However, according to multiple sources and clips shown in the documentary itself, Todd clearly has a history of frequently joking "I am Satoshi." These statements seem to have been made in the spirit of the famous "I am Spartacus" line from the film of the same name.
In the 1960 action film "Spartacus", a group of warriors are captured by Roman soldiers and promised amnesty if they identify and hand over the person known as Spartacus. In response, the warriors take turns declaring themselves to be Spartacus as an expression of solidarity.
The Dangers of Being Satoshi
According to Wired, Todd agreed to participate in the HBO documentary because he believed it was about the history of Bitcoin — not an exposé. Todd said not only was the mistake in identifying him as Nakamoto, but his life is now constantly under threat:
"Clearly, the mistake that ordinary people with ordinary assets are unimaginably wealthy makes them face threats like robbery and kidnapping. It's not just a meaningless question, it's dangerous. Satoshi clearly doesn't want to be found, for good reason, and no one should help those trying to find Satoshi."
However, it seems the director of Electric Money has a different view. Wired reported that Hoback said Todd and others have amplified the issue and that the idea of exposing Nakamoto has not yet posed a real threat to those being investigated.
"There may be some anonymous character controlling a twentieth of the total gold supply," Hoback said. He added that identifying this person is "very important."
While both seem to be trying to hold firm to their respective narratives, the so-called revelation does not appear to have convinced many in the Crypto community that Todd is actually Satoshi Nakamoto.
