Murphy Wants DHS to Reveal Bitcoin Creator's Identity

Murphy has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He’s demanding the agency come clean about who it believes is Bitcoin's creator.

A lawyer is suing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to force the agency to come clean about who it believes is Bitcoin’s creator.

The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, stems from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that Murphy says DHS has ignored.

Murphy wants the agency to release any documents it has on the identity of Bitcoin’s mysterious inventor, known only by the alias Satoshi Nakamoto.

As reported by Blockware Solutions, the judge has ordered the agency to respond to Murphy’s complaint.

Common Beliefs

The case began when the Department of Justice included “Satoshi Nakamoto” in a report as the inventor of Bitcoin, according to a 2020 report by the Economic Growth, Energy, and Environmental Roundtable.

The report, titled “Understanding Cryptocurrency: New Technologies, Economic Repercussions, and Legal Challenges,” was prepared for the Roundtable’s Technology and Innovation Task Force.

It was written by attorneys from the law firm Davis Polk & Werhner LLP and summarizes the history, technology, and legal issues surrounding cryptocurrencies.

The report also mentions some common beliefs about Bitcoin, such as the fact that its value is highly volatile and that it’s used in illicit activities.

However, the report claims that “Satoshi Nakamoto” is the inventor of Bitcoin. This statement is presented as a fact, not a theory.

The report’s authors did not immediately respond to a request for comment.