In a statement released today, Temple City resident Dorian Satoshi Nakamoto has denounced claims by Newsweek about him as the reclusive Bitcoin founder and said that he has tapped the services of a lawyer. The former Federal Aviation Administration employee had denied allegations of Newsweek in a March 6 story that he created the digital currency in an Associated Press interview.
"I did not create, invent or otherwise work on Bitcoin. I unconditionally deny the Newsweek report," Nakamoto said in a written statement.
Nakamoto also claimed that he has not had any steady work as a programmer nor as an engineer in the past decade, and no longer has Internet service since 2013 due to severe financial distress. Moreover, he said Newsweek allegedly caused him and his family stress, and also harmed his chances of finding work again.
He also confirmed in his statement that he had hired Los Angeles lawyer Ethan Kirschner as well.
A day after the story broke, Newsweek released a statement about its story on the 64-year-old by reporter Leah McGrath Goodman. Bloomberg said that Newsweek's story had marked the magazine's return to print edition.
Goodman also told AP that she is standing by with her story on Nakamoto. She said, "I stand completely by my exchange with Mr. Nakamoto. There was no confusion whatsoever about the context of our conversation - and his acknowledgment of his involvement in Bitcoin."
Referring to Nakamoto's denial, the magazine said in another statement released today, "Newsweek has not received any statement or letter from either Mr. Nakamoto or his legal counsel. If and when we do, we will respond as necessary."
According to Goodman's findings, Nakamoto was originally born with the first name Satoshi and later legally changed it to Dorian in 1973. Bitcoin, which is arguably the most popular digital currency, was created in 2009 under the name Satoshi Nakamoto. It has been initially speculated that the creator of Bitcoin could have been a group as opposed to just one individual.
