Has the Next Satoshi Nakamoto Revealed Himself in Bali?

Someone identifying himself as Satoshi Nakamoto has been answering questions on the popular question and answer website Quora as if he were indeed the inventor of Bitcoin. He claims to be an American living in Bali who will meet with visitors locally. Bitcoin.com reached out to him to find out his story.

Also read: Craig Wright Wants to Kill Satoshi by Becoming Him…Again. Why? And How?

Bali-Based “Satoshi” Offers to Meet in Person

Using the title of “former founder and creator at Bitcoin from 2008 to 2010,” the Quora user by the name of “Satoshi Nakamoto” began answering economic-related questions on April 3. He is the 17th user going by this name on the popular website and has been actively answering questions. At press time, he has posted 19 answers with rapidly-growing 32,400 views and has 161 followers.

This “Satoshi” has stated in no uncertain terms that he is the creator of Bitcoin, adding that: “I live in Bali, Indonesia, and I was actually born in 1977; not 1975. I am American – not bloody English!”

Specifically, he is staying at the Berry Biz, a small but opulent hotel located on the southwest side of Bali’s capital city, Denpasar. In replying to a user wanting to meet him, he wrote:

I stay at Berry Biz; just Google it and ask the front desk to call Satoshi Nakamoto. I will come down to meet you.

Defending His Existence

In a recent post, he wrote: “I am very real, however, everyone who is supposed to be me – isn’t! I am so far removed from that ‘so called’ eligibility list that it would be impossible to guess who I am.” He then gave his email address and said he has a facebook profile.

On Facebook, there is a profile page created in March for a Satoshi Nakamoto living in Bali, who is originally from Texas. The page description matches his Quora-derived information. It also contains a Virginia State driver’s license photo which the page owner claims to be his younger self, taken in 2001.

No Cryptographic Proof

Bitcoin.com emailed him, questioning if he could provide any type of cryptographic proof by sending some of the earliest of Satoshi’s coins, or signing a message with Satoshi’s PGP private key from 2010. “Mr. Nakamoto” told Bitcoin.com:

I can’t sign any messages because my old email (satoshin@gmx.com) was highjacked a number of years ago. It contained my only backup of all my private keys.

“All my Bitcoin private keys were once held within a single encrypted notepad document. One copy was stored on my laptop, and the other was stored in my original GMX email account; however, neither sources are accessible now,” the self-styled Bitcoin creator continued. “A sequence of events unfolded in 2010 that caused me the loss of all my keys.” The explanation also hints to why he decided to leave Bitcoin development behind. “After I lost ‘incentive’ to continue with the Bitcoin project, I announced to the world that I was moving on to other things.”

In addition, he said he has been trying to come forward since 2010. However, “everyone is too focused on who they think I should be. Every time I tried to publicly announce who I am, I get humiliated or treated with extreme hostility and disrespect.”

He’s not Craig Wright, but He is Pro-Patent

The Bali-based, self-proclaimed Satoshi said that he is not Craig Wright, the infamous Australian who’s also claimed to be the real Satoshi Nakamoto. “Craig Wright was nothing more than a mathematician and computer scientist that assisted in correcting a single typo in the subsection ‘Calculations’ of my original white paper”, the new “Satoshi” recalled. “He did not author or co-author any part of ‘Bitcoin: a peer-to-peer electronic cash system’.”

Wright has been trying to patent many Bitcoin and blockchain related concepts. Recently, a company that Wright is associated with has bought his patents as part of a deal they are describing as the “largest acquisition in the Bitcoin and blockchain development space yet.”

In his answers on Quora, the Bali-based “Satoshi” also repeatedly shows support for the use of patents to drive technological innovation. This standpoint would be unpopular among many of the libertarian Bitcoiners who chose Bitcoin for its anti-state-monopoly features. In one answer, “Satoshi” details how he would make $100,000 in 6 months. His method involves submitting product design “with patent application to your country’s patent authority then make sales calls to large companies that have a mass market distribution outlet for your product or design.” In another answer, he advised: “Patenting your own products or `logical technology´ model” will offer the highest returns.”

Update: The user’s information and answers have been removed on Quora.

What do you think of this “Satoshi”? Let us know in the comment section below.

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