An Australian computer scientist who falsely claimed to be the creator of the bitcoin cryptocurrency is now facing potential perjury and forgery charges in the United Kingdom. The London judge presiding over the case has decided to refer the matter to British prosecutors for further consideration.
The civil trial in March concluded that the individual, Craig Wright, was not the elusive figure known as 'Satoshi Nakamoto,' who is credited with inventing bitcoin. Judge James Mellor described Wright's actions as 'a most serious abuse' of the legal process in multiple countries, including the UK, Norway, and the USA.
Wright's assertion that he was behind the creation of bitcoin was debunked during the trial, where it was established that he did not invent the cryptocurrency or develop the associated software. The true identity of Nakamoto has remained shrouded in mystery since the emergence of bitcoin in 2008, amidst the global financial crisis.
Speculation surrounding Nakamoto's identity has persisted for years, with various individuals claiming to be the elusive figure. Wright made his claim in 2016 but subsequently retreated from the spotlight, citing a lack of 'courage' to provide further evidence.
The legal battle over Wright's false claims was brought by the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA), a nonprofit organization representing technology and crypto companies. COPA successfully sued Wright in the High Court, arguing that his claim to bitcoin's invention was being used to intimidate developers and stifle innovation in the open-source community.
The ruling against Wright has significant implications for the intellectual property rights associated with bitcoin, the world's most prominent digital currency. The case has also impacted several lawsuits filed by Wright based on his false claim to ownership of bitcoin's intellectual property.
Despite testifying during the trial, Wright denied the allegations against him. Bitcoin, like other digital currencies, operates independently of traditional banking systems and governments, allowing users to conduct transactions anonymously. Its value is determined by online trading markets, where it can be exchanged for traditional currency.
