A man has been found in contempt of court for claiming he was Bitcoin inventor Satoshi Nakamoto.
Craig White, an Australian computer scientist living in the UK, faces jail after breaking a High Court order made in March telling him to stop claiming he was Nakamoto.
Despite the order, Wright pursued legal cases to assert his intellectual property rights to Bitcoin, even claiming he was owed $1.2 trillion (£911 billion).
A judge deemed Wright’s actions a “flagrant breach” of the court order.
As a result, Wright was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years. This means he could face jail time if he continues to assert he invented Bitcoin.
Looking for a job? Visit whatjobs.com today
A Suspended Sentence with International Implications
Wright, who attended the hearing via videolink, refused to disclose his location, stating only that he was in Asia.
This complicates enforcement of the sentence, as UK authorities would need to issue an international arrest warrant to detain him.
Mr. Justice Mellor, the presiding judge, noted Wright appeared to be aware of countries without extradition agreements with the UK.
Mellor also described Wright’s arguments as “legal nonsense.”
Need Career Advice? Get employment skills advice at all levels of your career
Campaign of “Legal Terrorism”
Wright’s relentless legal pursuits have been characterized in court as “legal terrorism.”
His campaign has caused significant distress to others in the cryptocurrency industry, described as putting people “through personal hell.”
Since 2016, Wright has publicly claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin.
If true, Wright could control an estimated $100 billion (£80 billion) in Bitcoin. However, his claims have been widely discredited due to his inability to provide concrete evidence.
Industry Pushback and High Court Trial
Wright’s actions prompted the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA), a coalition of cryptocurrency companies, to challenge his claims in court. COPA sought to prevent Wright from launching further legal actions against industry members.
The High Court ruled in COPA’s favor, stating that Wright had “lied extensively” to support his false assertions.
COPA’s lawyer, Jonathan Hough, highlighted the “deadly serious” consequences of Wright’s behavior, which he said created a “chilling effect” on the cryptocurrency industry.
Hiring? Post jobs for free with WhatJobs
The Search for Bitcoin’s Creator Continues
Wright is one of many individuals who have claimed or been identified as Satoshi Nakamoto.
However, all such claims have been debunked or dismissed, leaving the true identity of Bitcoin’s creator a mystery.
The Fallout of False Claims
Craig Wright’s case serves as a warning about the dangers of false assertions and the legal repercussions of defying court orders.
For the cryptocurrency world, it’s a stark reminder of the unresolved question: who really invented Bitcoin?
