In 1998 Bernard Von Nothaus started to physically create his idea of the Liberty Dollar. A currency independent from the US dollar which was minted in gold, platinum, silver and copper and also available in digitally.
The creation alone eventually led him to be arrested and convicted of fraud, counterfeit (?) and conspiracy. Yes, counterfeit. He was not counterfeiting actual Dollars or any other currency in existence, he created his own currency which gained support and was thus labeled a fraud who counterfeited money. This earned him a 22 year conviction.
https://thenewamerican.com/fbi-convicts-bernard-von-nothaus-for-minting-and-selling-silver-coins/
It may all be some weird coincidence, but the events that started on 1 October 1998 may have in fact actually led to the release of Bitcoin in 2008. The Liberty Dollar was officially released on the first day of October in 1998, Bitcoin's white paper was officially released on the last day of October in 2008. Bernard claims a friend of his met someone only known as "Satoshi Nakamoto" in the Netherlands in 2005 who was familiar with his Liberty Dollar and the events that followed. According to this friend, Bernard was Satoshi's inspiration. 3 years later on 31 October 2008 Satoshi's white paper appeared.
From 2006 to 2009, Bernard saw a series of events such as official warnings, arrests, raids, confiscations, indictments and was labeled "an extremist". On 3 January 2009 Bitcoin was officially launched.
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2008/extremist-currency-seized-crackdown
https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/charlotte/press-releases/2009/ce060309.htm
Whether there was only 1 Satoshi, or a group of Satoshis who went on to actually create Bitcoin is still unknown and may remain that way forever. Considering the consequences Bernard experienced, that may very well be a good thing since we all know by now we don't live in a world where absolute justice prevails, we live in a 'do as I say and not as I do' ruled world, which not only failed to improve the past 30 years, but slowly and surely worsened by morphing into a 'also don't say what I do' world.
