Australian computer scientist, Craig Wright, who claimed to be Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, is facing potential criminal charges for perjury and forgery of documents. A recent ruling in the COPA vs. Wright case revealed that High Court Justice James Mellor has referred Wright’s misconduct to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for consideration. The judge found that Wright had provided false testimony during the trial in an attempt to bolster his claims of being Satoshi Nakamoto. Despite Wright’s insistence for years that he authored the Bitcoin white paper, the judge ruled against his claims in March, stating that there was no evidence to support them.
COPA sued Wright in an effort to disprove his identity as Satoshi Nakamoto and to prevent him from suing Bitcoin developers and related entities who denied his claims. Since 2019, Wright has been engaged in legal disputes with multiple developers in an attempt to silence their criticism and assert ownership over the Bitcoin network. However, the judge noted that Wright failed to provide any evidence of transactions in the network’s early days, leading to doubts about his credibility as the cryptocurrency’s creator.
Following the judge’s ruling on the case, a written judgment was issued, finding Wright guilty of extensive forgery. Judge Mellor stated that Wright had lied repeatedly and extensively to support his false claim of being the Bitcoin creator. As a result of this forgery, the judge believes that the case warrants a referral to the CPS for potential criminal proceedings against Wright. In his ruling, Judge Mellor expressed no doubt about the seriousness of Wright’s actions and the need for legal consequences.
As the case progresses towards the CPS, Judge Mellor has imposed certain orders and injunctions against Wright. For a period of six months, Wright must post a court notice on his website, Slack, and X accounts acknowledging the court’s findings. Additionally, Wright is prohibited from initiating any further legal actions related to the case and from making threats of legal action as he has done in the past. These restrictions are aimed at ensuring compliance and preventing further misconduct by Wright in the ongoing legal battle surrounding his claims of being Satoshi Nakamoto.
Craig Wright’s false claims of being the creator of Bitcoin have not only been refuted by the court but have also raised serious legal implications for him. The allegations of perjury and forgery could have significant consequences for Wright, potentially leading to criminal charges and legal sanctions. The outcome of this case will not only impact Wright’s reputation but also serve as a cautionary tale about the consequences of making false claims and engaging in fraudulent activities in the cryptocurrency industry.
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