You Found Satoshi? Let’s See the Receipts
Two new investigations, including a documentary by Tyler Maroney and a report by Pulitzer-winning journalist John Carreyrou, claim to have identified Bitcoin's creator Satoshi Nakamoto. Maroney's project points to a collaboration between Hal Finney and Len Sassaman, while Carreyrou's investigation concludes that Adam Back is the likely creator. Despite these claims, no definitive proof has been presented, and the true identity of Satoshi remains unverified.
- ▪Tyler Maroney's documentary 'Finding Satoshi' argues that Hal Finney and Len Sassaman jointly created Bitcoin, though both are deceased.
- ▪John Carreyrou, known for exposing Theranos, claims with near certainty that cryptographer Adam Back is Satoshi Nakamoto.
- ▪No investigation has produced the cryptographic key linked to Satoshi's 1.1 million Bitcoin wallet, which is the only definitive proof of identity.
- ▪Both Finney’s and Sassaman’s widows have denied their husbands were Satoshi, though they acknowledge their involvement in early Bitcoin development.
- ▪Carreyrou’s investigation was prompted by what he perceived as suspicious behavior from Adam Back in a prior documentary.
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Steven LevyBusinessMay 1, 2026 11:00 AMYou Found Satoshi? Let’s See the ReceiptsTwo new projects, including one from a Pulitzer-winning reporter, claim they’ve solved the mystery of Bitcoin’s creator. So why does the hunt continue?Photo-Illustration: WIRED Staff; Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyIn December 2024, at the suggestion of a mutual friend, I met with a professional investigator named Tyler Maroney. He told me he was on a quest to discover the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the inventor of Bitcoin, and he felt that he had cracked the case. My first thought was, join the club.
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