Would they be arrested if Satoshi Nakamoto's identity was revealed?

The HBO documentary “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery” has already caused a stir in the crypto community before its release. The documentary claims to reveal the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the anonymous creator of Bitcoin who published the white paper back in 2008. After this huge claim, a question now arises: If Satoshi's identity is revealed, could they face arrest today?

If Satoshi is arrested, the stakes couldn't be higher. With an estimated 750,000 to 1.1 million Bitcoins in their inventory, worth nearly $70 billion at current market prices. Satoshi's exposure could trigger the largest financial enforcement action in history.

Since the emergence of the crypto industry, there has always been a cat-and-mouse race between high-profile crypto personalities and law enforcement. 2024 also saw a dramatic crackdown on the biggest crypto players. Sam Bankman-Fried, once known as the crypto king, was sentenced to 25 years in prison over the collapse of FTX.

In May 2024, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the founder of the world's leading cryptocurrency exchange Binance, was sentenced to four months in prison after pleading guilty to violating anti-money laundering laws.

Even Celsius Network founder and former CEO Alex Mashinsky is facing fraud charges for allegedly misleading investors. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan, Alex was charged with seven felony counts, including securities, commodities and wire fraud.

Legal consequences of the arrest of Satoshi Nakamoto

Hypothetically, should Satoshi Nakamoto be arrested after revealing his identity, there could be several legal consequences, such as:

Tax evasion: Tax authorities will definitely pursue Satoshi and collect taxes on billions of dollars in unreported crypto profits over 15 years.

Securities laws: Initial Bitcoin distribution and mining could be subject to retroactive scrutiny under securities regulations.

Banking laws: Banking regulators could also cause problems for the Bitcoin creator for creating an alternative currency system that violates many financial and banking regulations.

National Security: Bitcoin has been used in several transactions that bypass traditional systems. International intelligence agencies may view Satoshi's actions from a national security perspective.

Diploma

HBO's October 8 documentary promises to solve cryptocurrency's biggest mystery. This real-life film could greatly influence real-world scenarios. Industry experts believe the documentary could explain Satoshi's complete disappearance in 2010 and potentially foreshadow the regulatory storm that could engulf the crypto landscape.

Also Read: Memes Flood the Internet Ahead of HBO's Satoshi Nakamoto Documentary