A new documentary on Sammy fills in some gaps and explains motives better than previous articles and films. The narrator pays special attention to Sammy’s use of the Effective Altruist monsters as an advertising gimmick.
Nonbark: The film pays very little attention to the details of bitcoin because Sammy didn’t care about the details of bitcoin. He was on a mission to cheat and steal the universe, and bitcoin just happened to be the vehicle available at the moment when he wanted it. He would have used another fake technical or economic fad if bitcoin hadn’t been at just the right point of its fraud curve.
The narrative in this film reminds me of some earlier characters who had the same cold academic devotion to a criminal mission.
Polistra's Mill 