Debunked: Jeffrey Epstein Did Not Invent Bitcoin, Despite Viral Claims
A recent surge of viral social media content has suggested that Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender, was behind the invention of Bitcoin. This startling claim arose from manipulated emails that supposedly show Epstein asserting he authored Bitcoin under the alias Satoshi Nakamoto.
Viral Claims and Their Origins
These unverified assertions were primarily driven by an email allegedly sent by Epstein to Ghislaine Maxwell on October 31, 2008. In this speculative message, Epstein purportedly stated that he was the person behind the Satoshi pseudonym, calling Bitcoin a “little digital gold mine ready for the world.”
According to the email, Epstein wrote, “Ghislaine, the ‘Satoshi’ pseudonym is working perfectly. Our little digital gold mine is ready for the world. Funding secured.” This claim spread rapidly across social media platforms such as X and Reddit, gaining traction among users.
Fact-Checking the Claims
- Doctored Email: France24’s Truth or Fake segment has determined that the email in circulation is not authentic.
- Formatting Errors: The email exhibited clear formatting issues, including duplicate “To:” lines.
- Epstein Files Archive: A search through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Epstein Files revealed 24 instances of the word “Satoshi,” none of which matched the circulating document.
- Missing Phrases: The phrase “little digital gold mine” does not appear in the DOJ archives at all.
- Email Address Discrepancy: The email address noted ([email protected]) is inconsistent with the identified address in the Epstein Files ([email protected]).
Based on these findings, France24 has formally labeled the viral email as false. The evidence strongly indicates that Jeffrey Epstein was not the creator of Bitcoin and is certainly not Satoshi Nakamoto.
Conclusion
The claims surrounding Epstein’s alleged authorship of Bitcoin have been debunked through diligent fact-checking. As such, it is essential for the public to critically evaluate the information that circulates on social media, particularly concerning significant events and figures.
