[kelvin0]

I'm really wondering why the author of bitcoin would hide their identity? Don't want the attention? Plenty of innovative people are simply footnotes in history. Or is the true origin of this digital currency a dubious agency, who if revealed would stop people from wanting to use it? Is it a second try at Amero? http://forextrading.about.com/od/forexhistory/a/amero_conspi...

[draw_down]

I would have done the same thing. People are insane, can you imagine what they would do to the inventor of digital money? (I realize Satoshi is not that, but a lot of people will think he/she is.)

[kelvin0]

What do you think people would do to him? I'm not sure I understand the 'danger' you seem to perceive.

[nickpsecurity]

He's presumably a computer geek sitting on a fortune that can be stolen and transferred without FinCEN knowing or able to do crap. I think that's enough reason to keep his identity secret.

[kelvin0]

What's FinCEN? Is that the Australian equivalent of the USA IRS?

[nickpsecurity]

It's a U.S. organization that goes after financial crime world-wide. I just gave it as an example. Point being, many types of money moving require careful laundering to prevent traces for financial or other prosecution. It's why most crooks focus on trying to steal straight cash if they're here in U.S.. A guy with an easily-moved, unregulated, semi-anonymous stash of millions is a much easier target and the government might not be able to help him. So, more risk than usual and varies depending on his location.

[snowwrestler]

Let's say someone stole Satoshi's stash. To convert it to non-Bitcoin value, they would have to spend it or transfer it. Wouldn't people notice that the famous Satoshi block is suddenly in play? And the point at which it is converted to real value is the point at which a criminal investigation would begin.

I don't understand why Satoshi's stash of bitcoins is any easier to spend untraceably than any other store of value.