HBO’s new documentary “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery”, directed by Cullen Hoback, attempts to discover the true identity of the mysterious creator of Bitcoin: Satoshi Nakamoto. The documentary’s speculation targets none other than Peter Todd, a well-known figure within the Bitcoin community. The provocativeness of the claims that Hoback presents in “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery” is almost laughable to the Bitcoin community observers, who openly denounce the documentary, pointing out its failure to back its accusations with good evidence while considering the piece mere sensationalism.
Peter Todd being told he is Satoshi in HBO Documentary (LEAKED)pic.twitter.com/99kerNeczG
— Altcoin Daily (@AltcoinDailyio) October 9, 2024
This video shared by popular X account Altcoin Daily gives us a glimpse into how ridiculous this attempt at finding Satoshi was. Peter Todd’s mockery of the situation sums up the reaction of all in the Bitcoin community.
The Flaws in HBO’s Storyline
The documentary discusses Todd’s early engagement with Bitcoin, detailing his contributions such as replace-by-fee, enhancements to privacy features, and his work, colored coins, an influential forerunner to NFTs. However, the documentary’s claim that Todd is Satoshi does not offer proof shuttering open to all possible arguments.
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HBO’s documentary relied on circumstantial evidence, including Todd’s forum relations with Satoshi and his early Bitcoin protocols. It suggests that Todd might have unwittingly continued conversations as Satoshi under an alternate account, but this assumption was widely pulled to shreds as it presented no clear line of evidence. In short, the critics have pointed out, it is weak and the merest speculation one can imagine, and far from meeting the requirements of proof necessary to lend credence to such potentially serious claims.
Craig Wright and Peter Todd: The Expert on “Not Being Satoshi”
Adding fuel to the fire, Craig Wright, who has repeatedly claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto himself, publicly criticized the documentary, calling it “bullshit.” In response, Peter Todd humorously suggested that Wright’s critique should be taken seriously, as “Craig Wright is the world’s foremost expert on not being Satoshi.” Todd’s sarcastic remark emphasizes the irony of Wright’s own failed claims, turning the situation into a comedic spectacle for the crypto community.
Wright’s criticism of the HBO documentary has further highlighted the ongoing skepticism around Satoshi theories. While Wright has aggressively defended his claim in the past, taking critics to court and attempting to prove his identity, he has repeatedly failed to provide verifiable proof, such as signing with a known Satoshi wallet.
The lack of solid evidence in HBO’s latest attempt at solving the Satoshi mystery has led to widespread mockery on social media. Many in the community, including crypto podcasters and developers, have pointed out that unless someone can verify ownership of a known Satoshi wallet, such claims are merely speculative and borderline irresponsible.
As Todd himself said:
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“The truth is pretty simple: there’s hundreds, even thousands of people who could have created Bitcoin.
We’re not going to find Satoshi.”
