Rumours linking disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein to Bitcoin’s earliest days are spreading again after the latest release of so called “Epstein files”. Some crypto influencers are telling followers to get ready for a possible reveal about the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto.
One widely shared post from the CryptoWalaIndia account said Ghislaine Maxwell, appearing before a US House committee, could be “the last person” who could link Epstein’s circle to Bitcoin’s creation.
The post said that even if Satoshi were identified, Bitcoin would keep running because no single person controls the software or the network.
That claim ran into what happened during Maxwell’s appearance on Monday (February 9). Maxwell refused to answer questions in a closed door deposition. She invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination, according to Reuters and the Associated Press.
The new wave of talk has been driven by the Justice Department’s latest document release under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
In a January 30 press release, the department published a new tranche with nearly 3.5 million pages released under the law. It also released more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images.
But even as screenshots and “Project Bitcoin” claims spread on social media, fact checkers have warned that at least some of the supposed proof is fake.
Lead Stories said a widely shared email that claimed to show Epstein talking about a “Satoshi” pseudonym did not match real records. It also said the email was not found in the released files it reviewed.
What the record does show is Epstein building ties with academic and scientific groups, including at elite institutions. Massachusetts Institute of Technology said an independent review found the institute received 10 Epstein donations totalling US$850,000 between 2002 and 2017.
It also said Epstein made several visits to campus. Harvard University separately reported receiving US$9.1 million in gifts from Epstein between 1998 and 2008, and said there were no gifts after his 2008 conviction.
For now, there is still no verified public evidence linking Epstein or Maxwell to Bitcoin’s authorship. The story remains a fast moving mix of document releases, online speculation and unanswered questions, and those claiming a link still have the burden of proof.
