Wright has now abruptly withdrawn from public life as suddenly as he appeared. Wright posted today that he would offer no more evidence to prove his identity, just two days after he publicly claimed to be the founder of Bitcoin. As said above, many in the bitcoin fraternity viewed Wright’s claims with utmost derision and felt that he was a con man using the Satoshi identity for personal gain. Wright sought to submit extraordinary evidence to shut those naysayers. Wright had pledged to transfer funds from one of Bitcoin’s early blocks. While not definitive proof, that demonstration would have been by far the strongest evidence ever provided about Satoshi’s true identity. However, today, he abruptly withdrew his claim with this small post. Taking his note on its face value may evoke sympathy for him but Verge says that he faked the entire ‘I am Satoshi Nakamoto’ drama. In a hard hitting report it said that it found a duped signature string that seems to have been inserted as a deliberate attempt to mislead. Similar research turned up a set of backdated PGP keys after the first round of claims in December. I believed that I could do this. I believed that I could put the years of anonymity and hiding behind me. But, as the events of this week unfolded and I prepared to publish the proof of access to the earliest keys, I broke. I do not have the courage. I cannot. When the rumors began, my qualifications and character were attacked. When those allegations were proven false, new allegations have already begun. I know now that I am not strong enough for this. I know that this weakness will cause great damage to those that have supported me, and particularly to Jon Matonis and Gavin Andresen. I can only hope that their honour and credibility is not irreparably tainted by my actions. They were not deceived, but I know that the world will never believe that now. I can only say I’m sorry. And goodbye.
