Dorian Nakamoto is probably the most famous name the crypto community associates with the identity of Bitcoin’s founder, Satoshi Nakamoto. But are there enough similarities to justify the comparison?
Who is the Dorian Nakamoto, a Popular Candidate for the Creator of Bitcoin?
Dorian Nakamoto is, without a doubt, one of the more mysterious candidates believed to be Satoshi. We know little about Dorian, except that he was born around 1950, claims to be of Japanese origin, and holds a physics degree from California Polytechnic.
After graduating, he contributed his newfound skills to classified American government projects. He would likely have fallen victim to layoffs during the 1990s, prompting his retraining as a teacher and a welder.
Dorian’s life changed dramatically after Newsweek identified him as the mysterious father of Bitcoin in 2014. Since then, he has been a recurring figure in crypto and has attended crypto events with industry players.
What Dorian Says About Satoshi Nakamoto
Dorian Nakamoto immediately refuted Newsweek’s claims in an interview with the Associated Press.
He said he would not have been aware of Bitcoin until 2014 and only got internet access at his home the previous year. The report in Newsweek came from an interview in which his poor command of the English language likely compromised his understanding of the questions, he claimed.
“I’m saying I’m no longer in engineering. That’s it. And even if I was, when we get hired, you have to sign this document, contract saying you will not reveal anything we divulge during and after employment. So that’s what I implied. It sounded like I was involved before with bitcoin and looked like I’m not involved now. That’s not what I meant. I want to clarify that.”
The physics expert also pointed out that the founder of an important project like Bitcoin is unlikely to use their real name.
Is He the Creator of Bitcoin? What the Experts Think
The first fact to consider when decoding Dorian’s Bitcoin involvement is a comment Satoshi posted on the P2P Foundation forum shortly after the Newsweek piece. In the post, the pseudonymous founder confirmed not being Dorian Nakamoto.
Public consensus speculated whether this claim was simply a stunt to deflect attention. Some in the crypto community still believe Dorian is indeed the enigmatic Satoshi but denies the rumors for security reasons.
Connections between the two result from several facts and apparent coincidences.
Firstly, both subjects have similar names and are of Japanese origin. Secondly, Dorian Nakamoto lives in Los Angeles, a region common to several people suspected of being the pseudonymous Bitcoin founder.
As a result, Dorian could have easily been in contact with a group of computer scientists and programmers contributing to the creation of Bitcoin.
Read the origin story of Bitcoin here.
Lastly, the former physicist would have shared liberal encryption and privacy protection ideas with the Bitcoin creator.
Probability Test: Can the Subject Be Satoshi?
Can Dorian’s actions disprove the denial of his involvement in Bitcoin? And if so, can we finally put a face on the creator of Bitcoin?
Cryptographic Proof: The former physicist has never used a wallet or private key belonging to Satoshi Nakamoto. The reappearance of Satoshi after Dorian was added to the list of possible candidates does not prove the two are the same.
Technical Knowledge of Cryptography and Contributions: If Dorian’s AP interview is believed, the physicist is unlikely to possess knowledge of encryption, peer-to-peer technology, or digital currencies.
Moreover, the creator of Bitcoin would have need engineering and computer skills above the level of former physicist.
Their programming styles and methods of communication are also vastly different. While Dorian speaks fluent English, his interview with AP revealed a limited understanding of language nuances.
On the other hand, there are no Japanese inflections in Satoshi’s communication.
Consistency of Statements: The only statement Dorian and Satoshi agree on is that they are not the same person. Any similarities stem solely from Dorian’s comments about himself.
Community Recognition: For some in the crypto space Dorian Nakamoto is the face associated with Satoshi, albeit in a somewhat light-hearted way. However, the majority of the community regard Dorian as Satoshi’s archetype rather than his true identity.
Considering all the evidence, there is a 0% chance that Dorian is Satoshi.
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