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Media investigations

From Satoshipedia, the Satoshi Mail encyclopedia

Journalists and filmmakers have repeatedly tried to identify Satoshi. None of their candidates has been confirmed.

Newsweek (2014)

On 6 March 2014 Newsweek published Leah McGrath Goodman's report identifying Dorian Nakamoto, a man living in Temple City, California, as Bitcoin's creator.[1] He denied it, and the story was widely criticised.[2] The next day Satoshi's dormant P2P Foundation account posted “I am not Dorian Nakamoto.” (the post). The Satoshi Nakamoto Institute notes that its authenticity “demands scrutiny”: the account was compromised through an email hack in September 2014, though there is no clear sign it was compromised when this post was made.[3]

Wired and Gizmodo (2015)

In December 2015 both publications suggested that Craig Wright might be Satoshi.[2] A UK court found in 2024 that he is not.

Money Electric (2024)

Cullen Hoback's 2024 HBO documentary Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery named Peter Todd, who called the claim “ludicrous”.[4]

The New York Times (2026)

In April 2026 the New York Times published an investigation by John Carreyrou asserting that Adam Back is Satoshi. It cited his use of less common phrases, shared niche interests, and the timing of Satoshi's last communication and Back's first public comment on Bitcoin. Back denied it.[5]

Finding Satoshi (2026)

The 2026 documentary Finding Satoshi proposed that Satoshi was a partnership between Len Sassaman and Hal Finney.[2] Both died years before the film.

See also

References

  1. Dorian Nakamoto, Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 20 October 2026.
  2. Satoshi Nakamoto, Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 20 October 2026.
  3. The Complete Satoshi, Satoshi Nakamoto Institute.
  4. Peter Todd (programmer), Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 20 October 2026.
  5. Adam Back, Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 20 October 2026.

Primary sources

The messages and commits this article draws on, in Satoshi Mail and where they were first published.

  1. Bitcoin open source implementation of P2P currency, P2P Foundation forum, 7 March 2014. Original source

Published by Tyler Howell for Satoshi Mail. Written with AI assistance from the sources listed above and checked against them. Last updated 22 October 2026. Spotted an error? Email itstylerhowell@gmail.com (how articles are made).

Categories: Identity