A UK High Court has ruled that Craig Steven Wright, an Australian computer scientist who has long claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious creator of Bitcoin, lied extensively and forged documents to support his assertions. This landmark decision marks a significant blow to Wright’s credibility and his ongoing legal battles against various entities in the cryptocurrency community.
The Court’s Ruling
Justice James Mellor, in a detailed 231-page judgment, concluded that Wright engaged in the deliberate production of false documents to support his claim of being Satoshi Nakamoto. Mellor stated, "It is clear that Dr. Wright engaged in the deliberate production of false documents to support false claims and use the Courts as a vehicle for fraud." He further added, "I am entirely satisfied that Dr. Wright lied to the Court extensively and repeatedly. All his lies and forged documents were in support of his biggest lie: his claim to be Satoshi Nakamoto."
The Legal Battle
The ruling is the culmination of a six-week trial initiated by the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA), a nonprofit consortium of crypto companies. COPA sought to prevent Wright from continuing to threaten developers and other parties with lawsuits based on his false claims. The court’s decision effectively prevents Wright from bringing new claims in the UK, although it does not bar him from pursuing legal action in other jurisdictions.
Impact on Wright’s Lawsuits
Following the judgment, Wright has already dropped several lawsuits that were premised on his claim to be the creator of Bitcoin. These include:
- An appeal in Norway against crypto influencer Magnus Granath, known as Hodlonaut, who had described Wright as a "pathetic scammer."
- A lawsuit in which Wright’s company, Tulip Trading, accused Bitcoin developers of violating their fiduciary duties by refusing to help recover a large amount of bitcoin allegedly lost in a hack.
Three further lawsuits, in which Wright accuses Bitcoin developers and crypto exchanges Coinbase and Kraken of violating his intellectual property rights over Bitcoin, remain pending but are bound by the COPA ruling.
Reactions from the Crypto Community
Paul Grewal, chief legal officer at crypto exchange Coinbase, described the ruling as a definitive win for the truth. "Dr. Wright’s claims were shown not only to be false but utterly fanciful," he said. A COPA spokesperson added, "This decision is a watershed moment for the open-source community and even more importantly, a definitive win for the truth. Developers can now continue their important work maintaining, iterating on, and improving the Bitcoin network without risking their personal livelihoods or fearing costly and time-consuming litigation from Craig Wright."
Wright’s Response
Wright has announced his intention to appeal the ruling. In a statement posted on social media, he said, "I fully intend to appeal the decision of the court on the matter of the identity issue. I would like to acknowledge and thank all my supporters for their unwavering encouragement and support."
Background on Craig Wright
Craig Wright first stepped forward with his claim to be the creator of Bitcoin in May 2016, making the assertion to three publications: the BBC, The Economist, and GQ. He provided messages digitally signed with cryptographic keys created during the early days of Bitcoin’s development. However, his claims have been met with skepticism and have now been thoroughly discredited by the UK High Court.
Conclusion
The court’s ruling represents a significant setback for Craig Wright and a major relief for the Bitcoin community. It underscores the importance of truth and integrity in the rapidly evolving world of cryptocurrency and sets a precedent for future legal battles in the space.
Sources
- UK court calls man claiming to have invented Bitcoin a liar, The Verge.
- Craig Wright Lied About Creating Bitcoin and Faked Evidence, Judge Rules, WIRED.
- ‘Fake Satoshi’ Craig Wright Lied About Inventing Bitcoin: Judge Rules, Bitcoin Magazine.
- This Man Did Not Invent Bitcoin, The New York Times.
- UK Judge Rejects Computer Scientist’s Claim to Be Bitcoin Inventor, PYMNTS.com.
