Andreas Antonopoulos, a well-known figure in the Bitcoin community and the Chief Security Officer of Blockchain.info, has decided to raise money (in bitcoins, naturally) to give to Dorian S. Nakamoto, who Newsweek claims invented Bitcoin, although Nakamoto vigorously denies it himself.

On Thursday, Newsweek published its bombshell story, reporting that the Southern California man is the famed Satoshi Nakamoto, the elusive inventor of Bitcoin. But later that day, the Associated Press scored an exclusive interview with Dorian Nakamoto, who denied any and all connection to Bitcoin, saying that he had never heard of the cryptocurrency until a few weeks ago. (Newsweek continues to stand by its reporting.)

Antonopoulos writes:

I have no idea if this person is Satoshi, though it seems increasingly unlikely. However, it doesn't matter either way. If this person is Satoshi, then the funds are a small "thanks" and won't make much of a difference. However, if this person is not Satoshi, then these funds will serve as a "sorry for what happened to you," help with medical bills his family is facing, any legal bills they may incur, or anything else. Most of all, it serves to soften the damage caused by irresponsible journalism and to demonstrate the generosity and empathy of the community, which I know is huge.

Antonopoulos noted that at the end of March, the funds would be converted into US dollars and delivered to Dorian Nakamoto. If he does not accept them, they will be donated to a charity of his choice, and if he declines to choose one, the money will go to the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

As of this writing, Antonopoulos—who did not immediately respond to Ars’ request for comment—has raised over 18 bitcoins, currently worth more than $11,000.