UK High Court Rejects Craig Wright’s Satoshi Nakamoto Claims

UK Judge James Mellor has publicly shared the approved judgment in the case involving Australian entrepreneur Craig Wright and the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA). The term “approved” signifies that a decision or judgment has been formally accepted and ratified by a higher authority, making it legally binding.

In a High Court ruling, Judge James Mellor dismissed Craig Wright’s claim to be Satoshi Nakamoto, the inventor of Bitcoin. The decision came after a five-week trial in March, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing legal battles surrounding Wright and his claims.

Approved Judgment Reveals Craig Wright’s Extensive Forgeries

In the approved judgment handed down today, Judge Mellor ruled that Wright produced false documents to support his claims. Furthermore, Judge Mellor stated that Wright used the courts as a vehicle for fraud. He described Wright’s evidence as “at best questionable or of very dubious relevance or entirely circumstantial and at worst, it is fabricated” and based on forged documents on a grand scale.

“It is also in 2014 that Dr Wright appears to have produced his first forged documents supporting his claim to be Satoshi. For instance, the Kleiman Email was apparently forwarded by Dr Wright to Ira Kleiman (David Kleiman’s brother) in March 2014,” Judge Mellor revealed in the judgment.

Read more: Satoshi Nakamoto – Who is the Founder of Bitcoin?

Moreover, the judgment outlined that despite acknowledging a few inauthentic documents during the trial, Wright refused to admit any forgeries.

“Instead, he lied repeatedly and extensively in his attempts to deflect the allegations of forgery,” Judge Mellor said.

The judgment criticized Wright for his lack of understanding of basic Bitcoin technology. His arrogance is also inconsistent with Satoshi Nakamoto’s persona.

“In my judgment, the arrogance he displayed was at odds with what comes through from Satoshi’s writing. In short, in his writing and attitude, Dr Wright just doesn’t sound or act like Satoshi,” Judge Mellor wrote.

The COPA brought the case to court in 2021. This group of Bitcoin and crypto companies accused Wright of forgery and perjury. Court documents show that prominent names in the crypto industry, including Block, Inc. and Coinbase Global, Inc., are behind COPA.

Read more: Who Owns the Most Bitcoin in 2024?

BeInCrypto reported earlier in March that Judge James Mellor placed a $7.6 million asset freeze on Craig Wright. The court’s decision was based on overwhelming evidence presented during the Joint Trial. This led to Judge Mellor’s conclusion that Wright was not, in fact, the creator of Bitcoin. This ruling came as part of a wider copyright and database rights action initiated by Wright and two of his companies against certain developers.