- • An Australian computer scientist named Craig Wright who falsely claimed to have invented bitcoin was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years, for contempt of court
- • Wright brought a $1.2 trillion lawsuit against Twitter founder Jack Dorsey’s payments company Block in Britain, which was deemed “a desperate publicity stunt” and thrown out by the judge
- • The judge ruled that Wright had repeatedly lied and forged documents to support his false claim of being the pseudonymous bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto
In a shocking turn of events, Craig Wright, an Australian computer scientist who falsely claimed to be the inventor of Bitcoin, has been sentenced for contempt of court. This verdict comes as a result of Wright’s audacious attempt to sue Twitter founder Jack Dorsey‘s payments company, Block, in a £911 billion ($1.2 trillion) lawsuit in the UK.
The Claim and the Lawsuit
Craig Wright has been known to assert that he is the author of the 2008 white paper that laid the foundation for Bitcoin, published under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. However, a judge at London’s High Court found in May that Wright had lied and forged documents to support this false claim. This judgement was given after a case was brought to trial by the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) to prevent Wright from suing Bitcoin developers.
The Verdict Against Wright
The court found Wright guilty of breaching an injunction that prevented him from bringing litigation on the basis of his claim to be Satoshi or owning intellectual property rights over Bitcoin. Jonathan Hough, lawyer for COPA, described Wright’s latest lawsuit as a desperate publicity stunt to keep his cultish supporters engaged.
Wright’s Absence and the Final Ruling
Judge James Mellor ruled that Wright was in contempt of court following a hearing on Wednesday, which Wright did not attend. When asked by Mellor which country he was currently in, Wright refused to answer. The judge imposed a one-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, citing Wright’s blatant disregard for the court’s order.
The Aftermath and the Failed Appeal
Mellor dismissed Wright’s lawsuit against Block and others. Wright, who said he would appeal against the contempt of court finding, was denied permission last month to appeal against Mellor’s ruling that he did not invent Bitcoin.
Conclusion
This case serves as a stark reminder of the legal repercussions of false claims and forgery. Despite his bold assertions and attempts to sue major industry players, Wright’s claims of being the inventor of Bitcoin have been firmly rejected by the courts.
