Who is Len Sassaman? Polymarkets top bet for Satoshi Nakamoto

Questions about the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto are emerging on Polymarket, with Len Sassaman emerging as the main suspect in the upcoming HBO documentary “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery,” premiering October 8, 2024.

Sassaman, a well-known cryptographer and an important figure in the cypherpunk movement, tragically committed suicide in 2011, shortly after Satoshi's last message suggested a withdrawal from Bitcoin activities.

Directed by Cullen Hoback and produced by Adam McKay, the documentary aims to explore the Bitcoin founder's secret, whether Satoshi worked alone or with partners, and the impact of their work on the global financial environment.

Sassaman's candidacy is supported by Evan Leung Hatch's idea linking his suicide to Nakamoto's final message, which stated: “I have moved on to other things and will probably not be around in the future.” This, combined with Sassaman's involvement in the invention of PGP encryption and remailers, corresponds to crucial components of the foundation of Bitcoin.​

Speculation surrounding Sassaman has increased, particularly over the unrealized potential of Bitcoin's features, which Nakamoto pointed out before his departure. Some believe that Sassaman's nightly social media activity is similar to Satoshi's posting patterns, lending support to the theory.

As the documentary's airing date approaches, industry insiders have differing opinions on the potential consequences of revealing Nakamoto's identity. Notably, Satoshi-linked wallets hold around 1.1 million BTC, which is worth around $67 billion today.

The revelation of Nakamoto's identity, especially if they are alive, could cause panic in the Bitcoin market due to the enormous amount of Bitcoin controlled by a single person.

The Polymarket betting odds reflect Sassaman's strong position, with a 46% chance of being identified as Nakamoto during the documentary. Hal Finney, an early Bitcoin donor, follows him at 13%. Craig Wright only has a 1% chance, while Elon Musk, Jed McCaleb and Dorian Nakamoto also have slim chances.

The community is eagerly awaiting the documentary's findings and is unsure whether it will actually expose Satoshi Nakamoto as promised.

Also read: Who is Satoshi Nakamoto, the anonymous creator of Bitcoin?