於本月 17 日，John McAfee 於推特上指出，他協助保護了比特幣（Bitcoin）創辦人中本聰（Satoshi Nakamoto）的真實身份，有人人自稱是中本聰，亦有不少人花費大量時間和精力希望找出他，但現在 McAfee 認為已經是時候揭露他的身份，McAfee 將會逐步收窄其身份範圍，直至中本聰自己揭露身份。
I protected the identity of Satoshi. It's time, though, that this be put to bed. Imposters claim to be him, we are spending time and energy in search of him – It's a waste. Every day I will narrow down the identity of Satoshi until he reveals himself, or I reveal him.
— John McAfee (@officialmcafee) April 17, 2019
究竟是誰創造了比特幣？這問題一直困擾著整個加密貨幣社群，以下人選是社群所作出的推測：
- 發佈加密貨幣先驅比特黃金（Bit Gold）的 Nick Szabo
- 曾經回應指「已經沒再參與比特幣有關工作」而引起當時媒體嘩然，現居美國的日本人 Dorian Prentice Satoshi Nakamoto
- 最早期的比特幣礦工及開發者之一 David Kleiman
- 繼中本聰後，第一位協助比特幣開發的 Hal Finney
- 現時宣稱是中本聰的 Craig Wright
然而，McAfee 似乎已經不能再接受有關社群推測及自稱是中本聰的人所作的行為，McAfee 於推特上表示，雖然他自從 19 歲起便酗酒、吸毒、沉迷女色和違法等等，但他卻創立了全球其中一間最大防毒軟件公司 McAfee，他非常了解駭客技術。然而，這些言論並不能顯示他可以證明誰是中本聰。
How do I know about Satoshi?
Yes, I drink, use drugs, chase women, run from the law – which I have done since I was 19. But it does not obviate the fact that I created a great company whose focus was stopping hackers. I had to know hacking. I am still John Fucking McAfee,
— John McAfee (@officialmcafee) April 17, 2019
陰謀論有趣，但中本聰的錢包最為關鍵
社群一直圍繞著中本聰的錢包而討論，當中有達成千上萬的比特幣未曾移動，而當這個錢包有任何舉動，亦將會是中本聰與整個加密貨幣社群的最佳回應，錢包未有活動讓不少人懷疑中本聰是恐懼還是克制，是否遺失私鑰，中本聰是否已經去世，或者其實是一種方式限制比特幣供應等等。
McAfee 其實已經透露中本聰是一個團隊，不是中情局（CIA），也不是任何一個政府部門，而該白皮書其實由一個人寫出，該人現時居住在美國，如中本聰仍保持隱密，McAfee 所列出範圍將會逐漸縮窄。
The "Who is Satoshi?" Mystery must end! First: It is NOT the CIA nor any agency of any world government. It IS a collection of people, but the white paper was written by one man, who currentky resides in the US. If he does not come forward these narrowings will continue.
— John McAfee (@officialmcafee) April 17, 2019
然而，McAfee 是次舉動大有可能只為引起傳媒關注，最後他可以輕鬆改變主意，並指出揭露其身份將令中本聰安全受到威脅，而終止這場鬧劇。
不少人已經向 McAfee 自稱為中本聰，而他亦將他們的信件公佈於推特上。
I have received today dozens of communications from people and groups claiming to be Satoshi. Below is an example email and my responses. So people, please – i do know who Satoshi is. Don't make yourself look foolish by pretending. I will do as I did below. BTW – big clue below: pic.twitter.com/OGXBzrlD5a
— John McAfee (@officialmcafee) April 18, 2019