Virginia Lawyer Files FOIA Complaint Against DHS Over Bitcoin Creator Records

On Monday, April 7, 2025, James A. Murphy filed a complaint in the US District Court for the District of Columbia against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its component, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), alleging violations of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The lawsuit, identified as Civil Action No. 25-1025, seeks to compel DHS to release records related to an interview the agency allegedly conducted with an individual or group using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, the presumed creator of Bitcoin.

Murphy, a Virginia-based attorney and cryptocurrency investor who publishes legal commentary on digital assets under the social media handle @MetaLawMan, submitted a FOIA request to DHS on February 12, 2025. The request sought four categories of records: a transcript of public statements made by DHS Special Agent Rana Saoud at the 2019 OffshoreAlert Conference, records of any DHS interview with someone named or using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, records of interviews with individuals believed to have created Bitcoin, and documents discussing the identity of Bitcoin’s creator(s). The request covered records from January 1, 2009, to the date of the search and targeted specific DHS components, including the Office of the Secretary and Homeland Security Investigations within ICE.

According to the complaint, DHS acknowledged receipt of the FOIA request on February 13, 2025, assigning it tracking number 2025-HQFO-02468, and referred it to ICE. On February 19, 2025, ICE informed Murphy that it considered the request duplicative of a prior January 2025 FOIA request and would process it under the earlier tracking number. Murphy’s counsel clarified that the February request differed from the earlier one and requested confirmation that ICE would process it separately. As of the filing date, neither DHS nor ICE had responded further, and the statutory deadline for a response had passed.

The lawsuit cites a 2019 presentation by Special Agent Rana Saoud, then an Assistant Special Agent in Charge in Miami, who claimed DHS interviewed Satoshi Nakamoto in California. Saoud, now Special Agent in Charge in Nashville, reportedly stated that agents met with Nakamoto and three others involved in Bitcoin’s creation to discuss its mechanics and purpose. DHS has not publicly disclosed the identities of these individuals.

The complaint emphasizes the public and governmental interest in Bitcoin, noting its $1.7 trillion market value and over 100 million global owners. It references a March 6, 2025, Executive Order by President Trump establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, authorizing the Treasury and Commerce Secretaries to acquire additional Bitcoin. The U.S. Senate is also considering legislation for a Treasury-operated Bitcoin reserve, and nearly 20 states are exploring laws to invest public funds in Bitcoin. Additionally, U.S. companies like MicroStrategy hold significant Bitcoin assets, and over $100 billion is invested in Bitcoin-focused exchange-traded products.

Murphy’s lawsuit argues that DHS’s failure to respond to his FOIA request violates the law, as the agency has not conducted a search for responsive records or met the statutory response deadline. The complaint asserts that the requested records are not exempt from disclosure and that Murphy has exhausted administrative remedies. The plaintiff seeks a court order declaring the records must be disclosed, requiring DHS to conduct immediate searches, and mandating the production of non-exempt records by a specific date. Murphy also requests attorneys’ fees and costs.

Please contact BlockTribune for access to a copy of this filing.