Bitcoin Creator Claimant Craig Wright May Face Perjury Charges

Australian computer scientist Craig Wright is facing potential charges of perjury and forgery of documents after claiming to be Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. In a recent development in the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) vs. Wright case, High Court Justice James Mellor has referred Wright’s alleged misconduct to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for consideration of criminal charges related to perjury for providing false testimony during the trial.

Judge Mellor’s findings revealed that Wright had reportedly lied to strengthen his unfounded assertion of being Satoshi Nakamoto throughout the trial. Despite Wright’s persistent claims over the years of authoring the Bitcoin white paper, the judge ruled in March that neither of his assertions held any truth. COPA initiated legal action against Wright to disprove his identity as Satoshi Nakamoto and prevent him from suing Bitcoin developers and associated entities that refuted his claims. Since 2019, Wright has been embroiled in legal battles against multiple developers in an attempt to stifle their criticisms and assert control over the Bitcoin network.

During the proceedings, Wright notably omitted disclosing any recipients of bitcoin (BTC) during the early stages of the network. Consequently, the judge was swayed by the overwhelming evidence presented in the case, leading to the conclusion that Wright was not the mastermind behind the creation of the cryptocurrency.

Subsequent to the court’s ruling, a written judgment was issued, declaring Wright guilty of extensive forgery. Judge Mellor determined that Wright had engaged in repeated and elaborate falsehoods to reinforce his major fabrication of being the creator of Bitcoin. As a consequence of Wright’s alleged forgery, Judge Mellor deemed it appropriate to refer the case to the CPS for potential criminal action.

Judge Mellor has imposed certain orders and injunctions against Wright as the case progresses through the legal system. For a period of six months, the self-proclaimed Nakamoto is required to display a court notice on his website, Slack, and X accounts. Additionally, Wright is prohibited from initiating any further legal actions related to the case and is barred from making threats of legal proceedings, a tactic he had employed previously.

The ongoing legal saga surrounding Craig Wright underscores the complexities and controversies within the realm of cryptocurrencies, particularly concerning claims of authorship and ownership. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for Wright and the broader cryptocurrency community, shedding light on the importance of transparency and integrity within the industry.