HBO documentary ignites controversy with ‘disgusting’ Satoshi Nakamoto claim
HBO’s documentary “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery” claims Canadian Bitcoin developer Peter Todd is Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin. The film presents circumstantial evidence, including Todd's online posts and his advocacy for the Replace-by-Fee proposal, suggesting he used the Satoshi identity to enhance Bitcoin's credibility. Todd allegedly described himself as an expert in sacrificing Bitcoins, interpreted as an admission of destroying access to 1.1 million BTC. The documentary faced backlash from the crypto community, with Todd denying the claim and calling it “ludicrous.” Critics argue that such theories often rely on confirmation bias and lack concrete proof. The documentary's release caused significant losses on Polymarket, where bettors had favored other candidates for Satoshi's identity. Key figures in the crypto space, including Ki Young Ju and Muneeb Ali, dismissed the theory, asserting Todd is not Satoshi.
