A cryptocurrency lawyer has filed a case against the US Department of Homeland Security in an effort to uncover who actually invented Bitcoin.
James Murphy, also referred to online as ‘MetaLawMan,’ is requesting that the government hand over information regarding Satoshi Nakamoto, the enigmatic figure behind the largest cryptocurrency in the world.
Lawsuit Targets Government Agency Over Bitcoin Creator Mystery
According to court documents filed in D.C. District Court, Murphy believes DHS is withholding crucial information about who invented Bitcoin.
The attorney has brought in former Assistant US Attorney Brian Field, an expert in Freedom of Information Act litigation, to strengthen his case.
Murphy’s lawsuit centers on statements allegedly made by DHS Special Agent Rana Saoud at an industry conference in 2019.
The lawsuit filed by James Murphy in a D.C. District Court.
The agent reportedly claimed during her presentation that the Department had identified not one person but four individuals as Bitcoin’s creators. These people were apparently interviewed in California, where they explained Bitcoin’s workings and their reasons for creating it.
The Department has never shared these names with the public, despite Bitcoin’s massive growth into a cryptocurrency with a market cap exceeding $1 trillion.
The Great Mystery of the 21st Century–Who is Bitcoin Creator “Satoshi Nakamoto?”
The United States Government claims to know the answer–but isn’t talking.
So, today I sued the U.S. Government to find out exactly what it knows.
🧵👇
— MetaLawMan (@MetaLawMan) April 7, 2025
Former Prosecutor Joins Fight For Bitcoin Creator Information
If the government does indeed have this information, as the DHS Special Agent has claimed, it should not be withheld from the public, Murphy told Crypto In America.
He emphasized the wide public interest, noting that “Bitcoin has become enormously popular among investors around the globe.”
Murphy has said he hopes DHS Secretary Kristi Noem will release the information voluntarily as part of the Trump administration’s transparency efforts. But he said he’s willing to pursue this litigation “as far as it needs to go to unravel this mystery” if the Department is not cooperative.
The DHS has yet to comment on the lawsuit.
Bitcoin Community Split Over Unveiling Creator’s Identity
The possible unmasking of Nakamoto has generated conflicting reactions among cryptocurrency communities. Some of the supporters of Bitcoin are keen to know the truth, but others fear that exposing the creator may harm the reputation of Bitcoin or destroy its decentralized foundations.
This isn’t the first attempt to identify Satoshi Nakamoto. Last year, HBO released a documentary titled “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery” that claimed Bitcoin core developer Peter Todd was behind the Nakamoto identity.
Todd strongly denied these allegations, calling the filmmaker “irresponsible” and suggesting the claim could put him in danger.
Legal Battle Could End 15-Year Mystery
Murphy’s lawsuit represents the latest chapter in a 15-year mystery that has fascinated the technology and financial worlds since Bitcoin’s creation in 2009.
Nakamoto disappeared shortly after launching Bitcoin, leaving behind only writings and code but no confirmed identity.
Featured image from Gemini Imagen, chart from TradingView
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