Bitcoin Price Climbs Amid Claims That DHS May Know Satoshi Nakamoto's True Identity

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may have knowledge of the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, a new legal action filed by a prominent cryptocurrency attorney revealed, which could make the federal agency spill what it knows – if anything – about the mysterious creator of the Bitcoin white paper.

Attorney James Murphy, more popularly known as MetaLawMan on social media and in the crypto space, filed a legal complaint against the DHS on Monday to compel the agency to disclose details of a supposed interview the DHS had with a certain Satoshi Nakamoto.

What Does MetaLawMan Want from the DHS?

In his legal complaint, Murphy asked the court to compel the agency to comply with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in relation to records on an interview the DHS conducted with a person named, or a person using the Bitcoin creator's pseudonym.

"These records are immensely important, as federal and state officials are currently taking steps to investigate potential investment in Bitcoin," Murphy wrote.

For Murphy, growing political interest in the world's most valuable crypto asset is crucial for the public to "understand better what the federal government knows about the identity of the actor(s) responsible for creating Bitcoin."

Murphy revealed in the complaint that he previously submitted a FOIA Request to the agency in mid-February but to date, the DHS has yet to comply with its statutory obligation.

What Does the DHS Know About Nakamoto?

According to the lawsuit, DHS Special Agent Rana Saoud gave a presentation on April 29, 2019, wherein she "affirmed that DHS knows the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto." Saoud also "stated that DHS agents traveled to California to interview Nakamoto about his creating Bitcoin," as per the complaint.

If the DHS is forced by the court to reveal what it knows about Nakamoto, and if the information the agency holds about Nakamoto proves without doubt a connection to the BTC white paper, it will be big news in the crypto space.

Murphy explained in a series of posts on X that it is possible that the DHS agent named in his lawsuit may have made a mistake regarding the interview with Bitcoin's creator, but if that is the case, the agency should provide clarity on the matter.

"If DHS resists disclosure, I will pursue the case to conclusion to solve this mystery," he said.

$BTC Price Spikes Amid News

Bitcoin was trending overnight on X as crypto holders started discussing the matter around the government potentially knowing who the real Nakamoto is.

Bitcoin prices also bounced back following a weekend plunge. The cryptocurrency plunged as low as $74,000 at one point early Monday, before it surged up to $80,000 later in the day.

There have been many theories about the identity of Nakamoto and a documentary was even produced to unmask the enigmatic individual/s behind Bitcoin, but to this day, Nakamoto's true face has yet to be unveiled. Some have claimed to be him, but unfortunately, their claims haven't been substantiated.