Australian-born computer scientist Craig Wright has been found guilty of contempt of court after persistently claiming to be the elusive creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. Despite a High Court ruling in March declaring he was not Satoshi, Wright continued asserting his claims, including filing legal cases demanding $1.2 trillion (£911 billion) in intellectual property rights to Bitcoin.
Court Ruling and Sentence
The High Court ordered Wright to stop making such assertions earlier this year. However, his defiance led to accusations of what the court described as “legal terrorism” that inflicted significant distress on others.
Judge Mr. Justice Mellor found Wright’s actions to be a “flagrant breach” of the court order. While sentencing him to 12 months in prison, the sentence was suspended for two years. Wright now faces jail time if he repeats his claims.
Refusal to Disclose Location
Appearing via videolink, Wright stated he was in Asia but refused to specify his exact location. This complicates potential enforcement of the ruling, as international extradition may be required should UK authorities seek to detain him.
Persistent but Baseless Claims
Wright first claimed to be Nakamoto in 2016, alleging ownership of the pseudonym associated with Bitcoin’s creation. The true creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, is estimated to control Bitcoin holdings worth approximately $100 billion (£80 billion).
Wright’s inability to produce credible evidence for his claim has led to widespread skepticism in the cryptocurrency community. His legal campaigns to enforce his narrative included lawsuits against individuals and organizations that disputed his assertion.
Industry Pushback
In response, the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA), a coalition of industry players, sought a court ruling to bar Wright from continuing his litigation. The court ruled in COPA’s favor, with Mr. Justice Mellor concluding that Wright “lied extensively” during the proceedings.
COPA’s lawyer, Jonathan Hough, characterized elements of Wright’s conduct as bordering on “farce” but stressed the “deadly serious” implications of his actions, which created a chilling effect on the cryptocurrency industry.
Search for Bitcoin’s Creator Continues
Wright joins a list of individuals who have falsely claimed or been suggested to be Satoshi Nakamoto. To date, all such claims have been discredited, leaving the identity of Bitcoin’s creator a mystery.
