This Man Says He is the Real Satoshi Nakamoto At London Event – Do You Believe His Claims?

Bitcoin's Elusive Creator Sees Yet Another Contender Claiming to Be Satoshi Nakamoto

The mystery of Bitcoin’s origin seems to deepen every time someone steps forward claiming to be its creator, Satoshi Nakamoto.

On 31 October, the latest chapter unfolded at London’s Frontline Club, where an individual named Stephen Mollah presented himself as the cryptocurrency's mastermind.

Stephen Mollah who claims to be Satoshi Nakamoto

What could have been a monumental revelation turned out to be a frustrating spectacle for attendees as Mollah struggled to provide any credible proof.

A Chaotic Start to a Disappointing Event

Billed as a major event by PR London Live, the press conference appeared to promise definitive answers on Bitcoin’s creation, with the entry fee set at a substantial $540.

Yet, rather than delivering significant insights, the session quickly descended into a series of technical failures and unsupported claims.

The event started with the organiser Charles Anderson taking the stage, revealing he had only two hours of sleep in the past 48 hours since the event announcement.

He has been inundated with calls from around the globe.

He also claims to have invented "energy recovery systems" for cars and the show Britain's Got Talent.

Subsequently, a representative from the Frontline Club clarified mid-event that the venue had no official association with the proceedings, leading to one journalist walking out in frustration.

Despite the organiser and him grappling to get the laptop working, 58-year-old Stephen Mollah took the stage where he boldly proclaimed himself as Satoshi Nakamoto and assured the audience that he would present proof to back up his assertion.

R-L: Stephen Mollah and Charles Anderson

According to Joe Tidy, BBC News’ cyber correspondent and one of those present, he provided live updates on X (formerly Twitter) about the absurd situation,

“‘Satoshi’ and his organiser cannot get their laptop working so are doing the event offline for now.”

“Mr Mollah is explaining his background and says he is an economic and monetary scientist. He says he previously tried to out himself as Satoshi in 2016 but ‘someone stopped him’ then again by speaking to the BBC’s Rory Cellan-Jones who interviewed him but didn’t publish a story.”

Scepticism grew among the attendees, who began to question both the credibility of the speaker and the purpose of the event.

Tidy shared about the frustration at the scene,

“Journalists (including myself) have interrupted Mr Mollah’s long backstory and asked for him to show the promised evidence. Been here nearly an hour and people are restless and increasingly rude. Mr Mollah’s cheek is twitching rapidly as he stares down a sceptical crowd.”

The Elusive Evidence and Outlandish Claims

Despite constant pressure from the audience to produce genuine proof of his identity, Mollah only provided a few dubious screenshots.

When attendees pressed him to demonstrate cryptographic verification—such as transferring Bitcoin from the Genesis block—he offered a vague promise to do so “in the next few months.”

The lack of transparency left a bitter impression on those who had expected more substantial evidence.

Yet, he provided no details or substantiation for these statements, leaving attendees puzzled and disappointed throughout the nearly one-hour event.

Additionally, he also claimed to be the mastermind behind Coindesk, Cointelegraph, and Bitcoin Magazine, asserting that he designed and developed the websites for these news outlets back in 2007.

According to him, they were “taken away from him” and subsequently launched and managed by someone else.

A Familiar Pattern: Failed Claims and Lingering Questions

Mollah’s failed presentation is only the latest in a long line of controversial and unproven claims to be Satoshi Nakamoto.

Notably, Craig Wright, an Australian computer scientist, has made similar assertions over the years.

Recently, Wright lost a legal battle in the UK against The Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) over his claim to the Bitcoin whitepaper.

Craig Wright

After a lengthy trial, the court found his evidence insufficient and imposed a Worldwide Freezing Order (WFO), barring him from moving assets until he settles legal fees of £1.548 million ($1.9 million) owed to crypto podcast host Peter McCormack.

Speculation Continues Amid New Theories and Denials

While Wright’s claims remain unproven, speculation around Bitcoin’s creator continues to attract widespread attention.

HBO Max recently aired a documentary suggesting Peter Todd, a Canadian cryptographer involved in Bitcoin’s early development, could be the elusive Nakamoto.

Todd, however, has denied these allegations, expressing concern about the toll such speculation has taken on his personal safety and mental well-being.

Peter Todd

He revealed that the documentary's release led to unwanted attention and numerous requests for financial assistance, ultimately driving him into hiding.

As Satoshi Nakamoto remains in the shadows, Bitcoin’s origin story continues to inspire a mix of curiosity, scepticism, and, occasionally, audacious claims like Mollah’s.

For the world of crypto, the question of Nakamoto’s identity remains both a historical puzzle and a mystery that may never be solved.