In what could be one of the most unusual legal moves in cryptocurrency history, attorney and popular legal commentator James A. Murphy—better known online as MetaLawMan—has filed a federal lawsuit against the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), demanding it reveal whether its agents really interviewed Bitcoin’s elusive creator, Satoshi Nakamoto.

Filed on April 7 in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, Murphy's lawsuit seeks to compel DHS to release records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regarding a striking claim made in 2019 by a high-ranking DHS official. 

According to a recorded presentation at the OffshoreAlert Conference that year, DHS Special Agent Rana Saoud stated that federal agents had located and interviewed Satoshi Nakamoto in California—and reportedly met with three additional individuals who helped develop Bitcoin.

“The agents flew out to California… and realized that he wasn’t alone in creating this. There were three other people,” Saoud said during the public presentation.

Murphy’s FOIA request, submitted in February, specifically asks for interview transcripts, recordings, notes, and internal correspondence that could shed light on the veracity of Saoud’s claims. DHS has yet to produce any such records or even confirm that the request is being actively processed, prompting Murphy’s legal action.‍

A Matter of Public Interest—or Public Overreach?

Murphy argues that the request is more than a curiosity-driven hunt for the truth. With Bitcoin now being considered for national strategic reserves and over $100 billion invested in US exchange-traded Bitcoin products, he contends the public has a right to know what the government knows about its mysterious inventor.

“Given the massive public and private investment in Bitcoin, it is important… to understand better what the federal government knows,” the complaint reads.

In March, President Trump signed an executive order establishing a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve,” underscoring the asset’s growing relevance in U.S. economic and national security discussions.

But not everyone is applauding the effort.‍

Bitcoin Veterans Push Back

Prominent voices in the cryptocurrency community were quick to denounce Murphy’s lawsuit. Anonymous crypto sleuth and influencer @ZachXBT tweeted, “No one needs to know the identity of Satoshi… trying to dox Satoshi just makes you look like an attention-seeking clown trying to get clicks.”

Another long-time Bitcoiner using the handle @Tacos4Life was even more direct: “There is not a single good thing that can come out of knowing… anyone pursuing this is NOT a bitcoiner and most definitely an enemy.”

The backlash reflects a widely held belief in Bitcoin circles that Satoshi Nakamoto’s anonymity is a feature—not a bug—of the decentralized currency. Many fear that exposing Satoshi’s identity could lead to legal, political, or reputational risks for Bitcoin, which has thrived partly because it has no identifiable leader.

The Road Ahead

It’s unclear whether DHS will fight the request or ultimately comply. If they do possess any records from such an interview, their release could mark a seismic moment in crypto history. If they don’t, it may call into question the accuracy of the original claims.

Murphy appears ready for a long legal battle. “If DHS resists disclosure, I will pursue the case to conclusion to solve this mystery,” he said in a tweet.

One thing is certain: the debate over whether the world needs to know who Satoshi Nakamoto is has once again been reignited—this time in a federal courtroom.