Blockstream, Bitcoin Belle, and Epstein: Untangling Bitcoin's Early Connections
In the nascent world of Bitcoin, where libertarians and visionaries converged to challenge traditional finance, personal relationships often intertwined with professional ambitions. One such story revolves around Austin Hill, co-founder of Blockstream, and Michele Seven, better known as Bitcoin Belle, a prominent networker in the early Bitcoin days.
Their connection, hinted at through social media and later revelations, and newly discovered Epstein emails, unfolded against a backdrop of innovation, controversy, and shadowy alliances. This story not only highlights the human elements of Bitcoin's ascent but also raises questions about overlapping influences in its ecosystem involving major players who helped to drive Bitcoin to what it is today.
Bitcoin Belle: A Force in Early Bitcoin Adoption
Michele Seven, or "Bitcoin Belle," entered the Bitcoin world as part of the 2011 libertarian wave. Based in New Hampshire, she co-hosted the Free Talk Live radio show, where she was introduced to Bitcoin by Gavin Andresen, an early developer of Satoshi Nakamoto's creation. Her libertarian roots aligned perfectly with Bitcoin's ethos of decentralization and resistance to government control. Through connections to the Free State Project, she indirectly influenced figures like Roger Ver and Erik Voorhees, helping spread Bitcoin among libertarian activists.
By the mid-2010s, Bitcoin Belle had built a substantial following, over 15,000 on her original Twitter account, at a time when most crypto personalities had far fewer. She wasn't a peripheral player; she networked at conferences and meetups, forging ties with Bitcoin's elite. Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, defended her publicly when she was banned from Twitter, and Wladimir van der Laan, Bitcoin Core's chief maintainer at the time, considered her a close associate. Her influence was real, positioning her as a connector in a space dominated by technical minds.
Austin Hill and the Founding of Blockstream
Meanwhile, Austin Hill was at the forefront of Bitcoin's infrastructure development. In 2014, he co-founded Blockstream with Adam Back and others, aiming to build layer two solutions like sidechains and the Lightning Network to enhance Bitcoin's offchain capabilities.
Blockstream quickly attracted attention, and investment, from high-profile sources. Emails from 2014 reveal that Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender, invested in Blockstream's seed round alongside Joi Ito, with allocations bumped up to at least $500,000 despite the round being oversubscribed.
Austin Hill and Adam Back met Epstein in April 2014, including a trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands near Epstein's infamous Little Saint James island, to discuss Bitcoin and investments. Hill's correspondence with Epstein included references to "pretty girls" accompanying Epstein to meetings.
These connections came to light in the Epstein files released in early 2026, painting a picture of Blockstream's early funding amid Epstein's broader interest in Bitcoin and crypto. Epstein's involvement extended to other crypto ventures, but Blockstream's ties underscore how Bitcoin's growth attracted controversial backers.
Romance, Social Media, and Shared Circles
By late 2014 and early 2015, as Blockstream solidified its role in Bitcoin's development, public interactions between Hill and Bitcoin Belle suggested a closer relationship.
On January 18, 2015, Hill posted on X (formerly Twitter): "The true women of Bitcoin @BitcoinBelle @francescamtl @BitCoinSusan," accompanied by photos.
The same day, Hill also said: "Thinking about the great women of BTC having dinner in Miami right now @BitcoinBelle @francescamtl." These posts, while not overtly romantic, placed them in the same social orbit during Bitcoin events like those in Miami, developing close ties and relationships with each other.
Private communications help solidify the story. On January 7, 2015 email from Hill to Epstein, Hill mentioned visiting Epstein in New York and bringing Bitcoin Belle with him on the trip.
Hill wrote to Epstein,
"I may bring a Bitcoin Belle who is an anarchist and was camping with Occupy New York."
This shows Hill viewed her as a companion worth introducing to influential figures like Epstein, blending personal and professional ties. The timing aligns with Blockstream's post-Epstein funding phase, where Hill was navigating Bitcoin's evolving landscape.
Their interactions continued sporadically on X, with Hill tagging Bitcoin Belle in discussions about Bitcoin's future and women in the space. These moments reflect a bond forged in Bitcoin's tight-knit community.
Craig Wright, Romances, and Controversies
The story takes a dramatic turn with Craig Wright, the Australian who fraudulently claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto. Bitcoin Belle's networking prowess connected her to Wright in early 2015. They developed a romantic relationship, marked by Wright's manipulative claims, he even said he invented Bitcoin "for her" according to a Hackernoon expose. Despite doubts, she introduced him to influential people such as John Matonis, boosting his status.
In October 2015, at the Bitcoin Investor conference in Las Vegas (archived), Bitcoin Belle hosted a high-profile panel featuring Nick Szabo, Trace Mayer, and Craig Wright. This event, now infamous, gave Wright a platform alongside Bitcoin legends, elevating his fraudulent claims. Video from the panel shows Bitcoin Belle moderating, with Wright debating topics like Bitcoin's Turing completeness.
In the opening to the video, Bitcoin Belle says,
"This is really exciting for me because these men here, and the gentleman that you see on the screen, are just really some of my not only favorite men in Bitcoin, but just my favorite men. If this was like Our Gang from the Little Rascals, I would want to be Darla, and I would want these guys to be Our Gang."
Post-panel, tensions with Wright escalated. In the aftermath, Bitcoin Belle traveled to Hawaii with Blockstream co-founder Austin Hill to escape the drama. This trip highlights her ties to Austin Hill and Blockstream's circle, overlapping with her Wright involvement. By December 2015, Wright's "Satoshi" facade unraveled amid media leaks and raids, later confirmed as fraud through court battles. Years later, Bitcoin Belle seemingly has disappeared from the crypto space.
Adding layers of intrigue and connectivity, in 2018, Blockstream's Greg Maxwell emailed Wright offering "discreet assistance" amid Wright's conflicts with figures who were part of the Block Size War at the time, drawing additional scrutiny between Blockstream and Craig Wright. In the email, Maxwell wrote,
"I believe it would be adverse for interests that concern me if your influence or prominence in BCH were in any way diminished. I am not aware of how I could be of aid in repairing this situation, but it seemed to me that it would be prudent to at least offer my discreet assistance."
Unraveling the Threads and Ulterior Motives
What does this web reveal? Austin Hill and Bitcoin Belle's relationship occurred during Bitcoin's pivotal early years. Hill's Epstein ties for Blockstream, combined with Bitcoin Belle's role in launching Wright's scam, invite speculation. Was there a deeper agenda at play?
Blockstream's focus on layer-two solutions has been accused by critics of "derailing" Bitcoin's onchain scaling, potentially aligning with external influences like Epstein's interest in controlling emerging tech. Early emails between Epstein and Bitcoin influencers such as Brock Pierce, Joi Ito, Bitcoin Core developer Jeremy Rubin, and others, show a clear path to control and shaping the Bitcoin network to mold it to their advantage.
Epstein's funding, Hill's emails, Wright's fraudulent rise, paint a picture of a Bitcoin ecosystem rife with personal entanglements and hidden agendas.
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