At a conference in London on October 31, Stephen Mollah, a 58-year-old British entrepreneur, introduced himself as the real Satoshi Nakamoto, the anonymous creator of Bitcoin.
Mollah's appearance coincided with the 16th anniversary of the publication of the Bitcoin White Paper, the document that kick-started what we now know as the world's largest cryptocurrency market.
The revelation, made by a PR agency called London Live, promised to clarify the identity behind Satoshi Nakamoto, but generated mixed reactions among attendees.
The event, held at London's renowned Frontline Club, attracted journalists and curious onlookers hoping for concrete proof. However, Mollah only presented screenshots that he claimed were evidence of his identity as Satoshi Nakamoto.
The lack of substantial evidence disappointed those present and increased skepticism in the crypto community, which has already witnessed several unproven claims about the identity of Bitcoin's creator over the years.
Satoshi, is that you?
Hours before the press conference, PRLondon, the agency representing Mollah, had published a statement saying that "the experience is complete" and that the revelation would surprise everyone.
Charles Anderson, a representative for the agency, claimed that Mollah had invented “energy recovery systems” and entertainment programmes such as Britain's Got Talent. However, the lack of concrete evidence raised doubts about the veracity of his claims.
Despite the attempt to portray Mollah as Satoshi Nakamoto, he and Anderson are currently facing allegations of dishonest conduct. According to the indictment, both claimed that Mollah was the owner of 165,000 Bitcoins stored in Singapore, a statement deemed fraudulent by the British courts.
The trial is set to take place on 3 November 2025, and both were released on bail by Judge Nigel Peters KC.
Mollah's story is reminiscent of that of Craig Wright, another entrepreneur who claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto. Wright also faced the High Court of England, which concluded that his claims were dishonest. This situation forced Wright to publicly retract, stating that he was not the creator of Bitcoin, thus closing years of controversy.
The identity of Satoshi Nakamoto remains one of the biggest mysteries in the cryptocurrency sector. It is estimated that if the real Satoshi still controls his Bitcoin wallets, he is worth around $69 billion, which would put him among the richest people in the world.
This potentially colossal fortune continues to attract people who claim to be the inventor of Bitcoin. However, none of them have managed to provide definitive proof to date.
Mollah's case has reignited the debate over the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, recently intensified by an HBO documentary that speculated that Canadian developer Peter Todd was the creator of Bitcoin, a claim Todd immediately denied.
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