Ripple Vet Questions NYT Reporter's Satoshi Hunt Proof

The true identity of Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto remains a hot topic on social media.

Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz recently entered the fray once again, publicly questioning the logic used by superstar investigative journalist John Carreyrou.

The photo shoot question

Carreyrou took to X (formerly Twitter) to speak out about a glaring behavioral inconsistency in Back’s denial.

This comes after the famous reporter, who uncovered Theranos’ fraud, identified the British cyberphunk as the man who started it all.

“If you’re not Satoshi and you know The New York Times is going to publish a big story identifying you as Satoshi, do you agree to participate in a photo shoot for that story?” Carreyrou asked his followers. “I would say no. But @adam3us kindly agreed to pose for one of our photographers in Miami a few weeks ago.”

Schwartz quickly pushed back against this logic, arguing that Back’s willingness to be photographed proves absolutely nothing.

“Can you explain why you would say no?” the Ripple veteran challenged. “Either answer will be cited as evidence you are Satoshi by those who think you are, and that you aren’t by those who think you aren’t. So why would you say no?”

Economic interest

Bloomberg’s Joe Weisenthal has argued that even if Back is not Satoshi, he might have a vested interest in letting the rumor mill spin.

“What if you’re not Satoshi, but want people to think you are?” Weisenthal posited.

Carreyrou, however, has pointed to the fact that Back had outlined nearly every single component of Bitcoin a decade prior on the Cypherpunks mailing list.

“And then when Bitcoin, the closest manifestation of your e-cash vision, materializes, you say nothing about it?” Carreyrou argued, suggesting Back’s radio silence during Bitcoin’s early days is too suspicious to ignore.

Is Satoshi British?

Back, who denies being Satoshi, recently expressed confidence that Satoshi is a fellow Briton.

The creator of Bitcoin has “distinctive dryness” and a mastery of British sarcasm, which would be rather challenging for a non-Briton to fake.