A British judge ruled that craig wrightA man calling himself Bitcoin founder Satoshi Nakamoto lied extensively and forged documents during a high-profile trial.
231 pages of scathing judgmentJudge James Mellor said Wright had tried unsuccessfully to prove that he was Nakamoto, had “repeatedly lied in court” and had committed “extensive” fabrications.
A group of cryptocurrency companies has filed a civil lawsuit called the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) to block Wright from claiming he invented Bitcoin.
BREAKING: 🇬🇧 A judge just announced his decision in COPA v. Craig Wright that Craig is not Satoshi Nakamoto.
big victory #bitcoin 👏 pic.twitter.com/rCSewIhsA9
— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) May 20, 2024
Mellor wrote that Wright presented false documents and gave false testimony to support “his biggest lie: his claim to be Satoshi Nakamoto.”
The judge ruled that Wright was neither the author of the Bitcoin White Paper nor the person who used the Satoshi pseudonym from 2008 to 2011.
Additionally, Mellor ruled that Wright does not have copyright ownership rights that would allow him to sue Bitcoin developers, as he has in the past.
The judge called Mr Wright’s story “full of contradictions and absurd explanations” and said he was “not as smart as he thinks he is”.
copa Throughout the trial, attorneys accused Wright of widespread deception and fabrication. They also presented technical evidence exposing the fake documents that Wright justified with “fluent but ultimately unconvincing answers.”
In the wake of this damning ruling, Mr. Wright has already dropped several lawsuits that were based on Mr. Nakamoto. However, Mr Mellor’s decision only prevents new claims from being brought in the UK, but not in other jurisdictions.
The case raised questions about the source of Mr. Wright’s litigation funding. It is rumored that online gambling magnate Calvin Eyre is supporting Wright financially, but both men deny this.
Overall, the judge’s unequivocal finding represents a major blow to Wright’s reputation and credibility. COPA hopes the ruling will deter further legal action on Wright’s part, despite the possibility of an appeal.
For the Bitcoin community, this is a huge relief from his past claims and threats of litigation.
