TL;DR
- British businessman Stephen Mollah claimed to be Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, at a press conference in London, coinciding with the 16th anniversary of the Bitcoin whitepaper.
- Mollah’s presentation faced technical issues, and he provided easily fabricated screenshots as evidence, leading to skepticism and criticism from the crypto community and attendees.
- Both Mollah and event organizer Charles Anderson face fraud allegations, further casting doubt on Mollah’s claims and leaving the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto unresolved.
On October 31, 2024, a press conference in London promised to unveil the true identity of Bitcoin’s mysterious creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. The event, organized by PR London Live, featured British businessman Stephen Mollah, who claimed to be the elusive figure behind Bitcoin.
I’m at a London event billed as the ‘unveiling of the true legal identity of Bitcoin inventor Satoshi Nakamoto’. An odd set up to the press conference as the organiser asked me to pay £500 to attend and appear on stage to ask questions of the billionaire mystery man. pic.twitter.com/3oTB6qX20U
— Joe Tidy (@joetidy) October 31, 2024
The announcement coincided with the 16th anniversary of the Bitcoin whitepaper’s release, adding to the anticipation and intrigue surrounding the event.
Claims and Controversy
Mollah described as an economic and monetary scientist, attempted to substantiate his claim with a presentation. However, the event quickly became chaotic due to technical issues with his laptop, preventing a planned live demonstration.
Mollah showcased what was described as easily fabricated screenshots as evidence. When journalists pressed him for more substantial proof, such as transferring Bitcoin from the Genesis block or providing cryptographic signatures, Mollah stated he would fulfill these requests in the coming months.
Skepticism and Criticism Surrounding Satoshi Nakamoto’s Identity
The crypto community and attendees at the press conference were largely skeptical of Mollah’s claims. Many questioned the credibility and motivation behind the reveal, with some suggesting it could be a prank. The BitMEX Research team, present at the conference, derisively labeled Mollah as “Faketoshi.”
Mollah’s nervous demeanor and inability to provide credible evidence led many attendees to leave the event early. Additionally, Mollah made other unsubstantiated claims, including inventing the euro bond and the Twitter logo.
The crypto market seems to have negatively reacted to the questionable announcement, as Bitcoin (BTC) is trading under the $70.000 mark, dropping nearly 4% in the last 24 hours, according to CoinMarketCap data.
Legal Troubles
Adding to the controversy, both Mollah and event organizer Charles Anderson are facing allegations of fraud. They are accused of falsely claiming ownership of 165,000 Bitcoin purportedly held in Singapore, with intentions to deceive an individual named Dalmit Dohil.
Both individuals have entered a not-guilty plea regarding the charges against them, and their trial is scheduled for November 3, 2025. Ultimately, Mollah’s failure to provide conclusive evidence left lingering doubts about his claims and further obscured the true identity of Bitcoin’s creator.
The press conference, which had been promoted as a significant reveal, ended in disappointment and skepticism. As the world continues to speculate about Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity, the mystery remains unsolved, and the search for the true creator of Bitcoin goes on.
