Seems a bit far-fetched that the guy creating Bitcoin was also building up a global criminal empire. I’m sure Paul is a very talented guy, but there are only so many hours in a day. The article’s author even admits it’s a stretch by the end of the article.

I don't actually think he's Satoshi, I just think it's a great story.

It was also probably not one person, but a group.

No, there is no reason to believe that.

There is reason to disbelieve it. The text analyses that have been done point at Satoshi being an individual.

Beyond that, if it were a group, they could have used someone as a spokesperson, but then you have a conspiracy of Satoshis, which is less possible. People, and especially geeks, like to talk. Someone would have tripped up by now, or moved bitcoin to fiat.

I agree that the group increases the risk of someone talking.

Would having a spokesperson that knew the identity of group members be a significant risk once this amount of money is involved? It would surely motivate serious threats to the spokesperson and their family?

By the time there was media interest in the identity of Satoshi, what would have been the value of their holding? Even then, whoever it is had to have held to their privacy even in advance of Bitcoin being worth incredible amounts of money.

> People, and especially geeks, like to talk

Is this backed up by anything?

Military / intelligence agency would not have tripped up.

Their motivation could be promoting democracy (they did make Tor for this purpose after all) and/or money for black ops.

We are all Satoshi Nakamotos.

The author of the Mastermind said he looked into this and found no evidence for it.