Correlation is not causation but Gavin Andresen previously served as technical lead developer for the Bitcoin project, and was even credited as Nakamoto’s successor. On April 27, 2011, Andresen publically claimed to be preparing to talk Bitcoin at an emerging technologies conference at the CIA headquarters. A few months after Andresen’s CIA visit, he appeared on a Bitcoin podcast to discuss its development. There, Andresen was quickly asked to reveal the last time he’d been contacted by Nakamoto. “Um, I haven’t had email from [Nakamoto] in a couple of months, actually,” Andresen replied. “The last email I sent him, I actually told him I was going to talk at the CIA. So it’s possible that… that may have had something to do with their deciding [to leave].”