Yesterday’s story from Newsweek about the alleged inventor of BitCoin has exploded after Satoshi Nakamoto gave an interview to the Associated Press denying any connection at all to the digital currency.
The story has already been bizarre and confusing. The BitCoin inventor was always a mysterious figure that had been built into internet legend. But Newsweek claimed to have tracked him down after an intensive investigation by Leah McGrath Goodman.
After the story was published, it all hit the fan. Nakamoto emerged from his home that was surrounded by reporters, saying that he wanted a free lunch and would only speak to one reporter while he got it. That reporter was from the AP, who bought him sushi as they discussed the story.
During the interview, the 64-year-old claimed he didn’t create BitCoin and had never heard of it, referring to it repeatedly by the wrong name. He said that his son had been the one to introduce him to the currency for the first time three weeks before when he had been contacted by Goodman for an interview.
When asked if he was capable of creating such a system, he replied, “Capability? Yes, but any programmer could do that.”
Newsweek has denied all of this, saying that they are standing by the story, the two months of research, and what Nakamoto said during his brief discussion with Goodman.
Alright, so what is going on? That’s hard to say, but the immediate jump down the reporter’s throat is ridiculous. Thousands of people online who have next to no info on the story are going to war against a woman who has spent two months gathering her intel. From a man who seemed terrified to be associated with BitCoin in the first place.
It also seems odd that an admitted programmer who has worked on at least one financial project in the past, by his own admission, who says he would have the capability, had no idea what BitCoin was. Does anyone really believe that? Even if he were retired, does that seem likely given the controversy?
Another statement he allegedly made to the AP was that he had gotten rid of his internet after his computer “kept getting viruses”. Something that make complete sense for a man in his 60’s to say…if he weren’t damn programmer with a series of freaking defense contracts under his belt. Seriously?
No, something is still not right here. What it is will be impossible to say for the moment, but for those who are ready to crucify Goodman, maybe you should step back and look at how odd the entire situation is. Does it smell right to you?
Source: Associated Press
