Bitcoin core dev calls out 'misleading' auction selling his code as an NFT

Published at: Feb. 28, 2023

One of the original core developers behind Bitcoin (BTC), Luke Dashjr, has taken to social media to call out an auction site that has used his name and code without his consent to create and sell a “misleading” NFT.

The core developer said he hasn't been the first Bitcoin developer to have his name or his work used in this way.

In a Feb. 27 post on Twitter, the developer revealed a non-fungible token (NFT), featuring a picture of code he wrote, was sold at auction site for 0.41 Bitcoin (BTC), or roughly $9,500 at the time of writing.

I want to make public my concern about "NFTs" which are being sold utilizing my name. Recently, a picture of code I wrote was sold at auction for .41 BTC. It was advertised as my code in the listing and presented to the public for sale and profit. 1/9 pic.twitter.com/5TcEJu4p5e

— Luke Dashjr (@LukeDashjr) February 27, 2023

"It was advertised as my code in the listing and presented to the public for sale and profit," Dashjr explained.

"Let me be clear – I was not involved with the creation and sale of this or any other NFTs. I have not consented to the use of my code or my name for this purpose. Instead, 3rd parties are marketing my name and my code for their own monetary gain," he added.

Dashjr revealed that the winner of the auction eventually contacted him and he had to inform them he was not involved with the sale.

Dashjr claims that an individual — either the seller or the auction site — had reached out, and offered him "a donation of 90% of the auction proceeds," which he declined.

“The public should also be aware that the seller and/or auction site offered me a donation of 90% of the auction proceeds “should I choose to accept” it. I feel this is a clear attempt to: (1) bribe me into silence; and/or (2) obtain my consent after the fact,” he explained, adding:

"I will not accept such payment at the expense of the public who are being misled. I will not accept any such “donation”.

"Due to the misrepresentation involved and actual buyer confusion, I strongly insist upon 100% of the auction proceeds to be refunded to the buyer," Dashjr said.

According to Dashjr, "other Bitcoin devs" have been placed in similar situations and been offered "considerable" donations for their cooperation; however, he did not provide any specific details.

"Stop using my name to mislead the public so you can make a quick buck. It's wrong," Dashjr said.

"I do not consent to the use of my name or code for this grift. I want the public to be aware of where I stand," he added.

Early last year, decentralized marketplace OpenSea reported that over 80% of NFTs minted using its minting tool were "plagiarized works, fake collections, and spam."

Dashjr was reportedly the unfortunate victim of a hack on the last day of 2022 which lost him “basically” all his BTC.

Hackers gained access to his PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) key, a common security method that uses two keys to gain access to encrypted information.

The news ignited a debate around self-custody, which became a hot topic after the collapse of crypto exchange FTX.