Dorian S. Nakamoto listens during an interview with the Associated Press, Thursday, March 6, 2014 in Los Angeles. Nakamoto, the man that Newsweek claims is the founder of Bitcoin, denies he had anything to do with it and says he had never even heard of the digital currency until his son told him he had been contacted by a reporter three weeks ago.

Dorian Prentice Satoshi Nakamoto, 64, said he had never heard of Bitcoin until his son told him he had been contacted by a Newsweek reporter three weeks ago.

He acknowledged that many of the details in Newsweek's report are correct, including that he once worked for a defence contractor, and that his given name at birth was Satoshi.

But he strongly disputed the US magazine's assertion that he is "the face behind Bitcoin".

"I got nothing to do with it," he said, repeatedly.

Newsweek stands by its account.

Since Bitcoin's birth in 2009, the currency's creator has remained a mystery. The person - or people - behind its founding have been known only as "Satoshi Nakamoto," which many observers believed to be a pseudonym.

After the story was posted on Newsweek's website yesterday, Mr Nakamoto said his home was bombarded by phone calls.

By mid-morning, a dozen reporters were waiting outside the modest two-story home on the residential street in Temple City, California, where he lives. He emerged shortly after noon saying he wanted to speak with one reporter only and asked for a "free lunch".

During a car ride and then later over sushi lunch at the AP bureau in central Los Angeles, Mr Nakamoto spoke at length about his life, career and family, addressing many of the assertions in Newsweek's 4,500-word piece.

He also said a key portion of the piece - where he is quoted telling the reporter on his doorstep before two police officers, "I am no longer involved in that and I cannot discuss it" - was misunderstood.

Mr Nakamoto said he is a native of Beppu, Japan who came to the US when he was 10. He speaks both English and Japanese, but his English is not flawless. Asked if he said the quote, Mr Nakamoto responded: "No."

He said of the exchange: "I'm saying I'm no longer in engineering. That's it. And even if I was, when we get hired, you have to sign this document, contract saying you will not reveal anything we divulge during and after employment. So that's what I implied.

"It sounded like I was involved before with Bitcoin and looked like I'm not involved now. That's not what I meant. I want to clarify that."

Newsweek writer Leah McGrath Goodman, who spent two months researching the story, told the AP: "I stand completely by my exchange with Mr. Nakamoto. There was no confusion whatsoever about the context of our conversation -- and his acknowledgment of his involvement in Bitcoin."

Bitcoin has become popular among tech enthusiasts, libertarians and risk-seeking investors because it allows people to make one-to-one transactions, buy goods and services and exchange money across borders without involving banks, credit card issuers or other third parties. Criminals like bitcoin for the same reasons.

For various technical reasons, it is hard to know just how many people worldwide own bitcoins, but the currency attracted outsize media attention and the fascination of millions as an increasing number of large retailers began to accept it.

In December, the value of a single bitcoin hit an all-time high of 1,200 dollars (£717). It was around 665 dollars (£397) yesterday, according to the website bitcoincharts.com.