Update #1 – The man at the center of this article is now claiming that he is not the creator of Bitcoin. Questions still remain as to what is really going on.
For many years people have been trying to figure out which individual or organization was behind the Bitcoin cryptocurrency. Since the original source code for Bitcoin was tied to the name “Satoshi Nakamoto” many people assumed that it was an individual living somewhere in Asia who had come up with the code, however a search for Nakamoto resulted in a lack of answers.
Finally, Newsweek magazine has come out with an article detailing who Nakamoto really is, and it turns out that he is a 64-year-old father living in Los Angeles, California.
Considering that the original image of Satoshi had been a young individual in Japan, the 64-year-old father of six is far from what people expected, but it does finally answer a big question in the Bitcoin community.
Newsweek attempted to interview him about his railroad hobby but once the interest turned towards Bitcoin, he became angry and called the police.
I am no longer involved in that and I cannot discuss it. It’s been turned over to other people. They are in charge of it now. I no longer have any connection, – Satoshi Nakamoto
In many ways, Satoshi’s reluctance to burst into the spotlight makes sense. As we saw with Dong Nguyen (the creator of Flappy Bird), many people cannot take the pressure of suddenly being famous, and now that Bitcoin has truly become a currency for many people around the world, the press would have swarmed the 64-year-old.
For many years, Satoshi used the name Dorian Prentice Satoshi Nakamoto, but his continued use of his original name made it possible for Newsweek to discover who he actually was and what he had created.
Current estimates suggest that he is worth $400 million in Bitcoin since it appears as though the Bitcoin creator held onto a large amount of coins.
People who lived near Satoshi in the quiet neighborhood of San Gabriel Valley have stated that they barely knew of Bitcoin or Satoshi’s family.
Summary: Following many years of searching, the real Satoshi Nakamoto has been discovered living in California. Nakamoto is the man behind the Bitcoin cryptocurrency and although he is worth an estimated $400m, he remains quiet about his creation.
Image Credit: newsweek