Unveiling the Enigmatic Satoshi: A Personal Reflection on Len Sassaman

An upcoming HBO documentary has sparked renewed speculation that my deceased friend, Len Sassaman, might have been the elusive creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. Although the filmmaker claims to have confronted the individual he believes to be Satoshi, rendering it unlikely to be Len due to his passing in 2011, others have presented compelling arguments for Len's candidacy based on his exceptional technical prowess. Regardless of the documentary's claims, I would like to share my personal experiences with Len and explain why I also find it plausible that he could have been Satoshi. As the CEO of Netki, a company providing identity validation services, I am adapting this article from a post originally published on LinkedIn. My first encounter with Len was at our history teacher Thomas Ruth's living room at The Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Len, then a junior, was introverted and struggled to maintain eye contact, often downplaying his accomplishments. Despite being only 16, he showed immense promise as a computer scientist, prompting Tom to ask me to mentor him. Over hot tea, we engaged in a thought-provoking conversation that lasted several hours, discussing the intersection of technology and history, and how groundbreaking inventions can transform society. This conversation had a profound impact on Len, as he transitioned from being reserved to passionate and engaged. Our discussion touched upon the importance of freedom of communication, online anonymity, and democratization of information, including the development of open-source software and standards. We also explored the potential consequences of creating software that could change the world. Years later, when I moved to Los Angeles to work at NetZero, an internet service provider, Len relocated to San Francisco. I introduced him to my network in the North American Network Operators' Group (NANOG) and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) communities, helping him find his footing. We remained in close contact for about a decade, during which we would have occasional calls to discuss career advice, the value of open innovation, and the trade-offs between allowing freedom and preventing malicious activities. We agreed that networks should be open, with controls implemented at other layers through technology or law when necessary. This principle is at the core of Bitcoin and is perhaps its most enduring characteristic. While some argue that Len could not have been Satoshi, I believe they do not truly understand who he was. Although we never discussed Bitcoin, and I have no idea if he was indeed Satoshi, I can see why he would keep it a secret. Len was an extraordinary person who deserved better from the world, and his memory remains dear to my heart.