Craig Wright, an Australian self-proclaimed computer scientist, has been sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years, after being found in contempt of court. The sentence stems from his £911 billion lawsuit against Bitcoin Core developers and Square Up Europe Limited, which was deemed a direct violation of a March 2024 court injunction.
Industry leaders such as Coinbase, Kraken, and MicroStrategy support the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA), which aims to protect open-source technologies and prevent restrictive patent practices. COPA initiated contempt proceedings against Wright after he failed to comply with the court order.
The case originated from allegations that Wright lied about his identity as Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of bitcoin. A March 2024 ruling by the UK High Court found “overwhelming evidence” that Wright is not Satoshi Nakamoto and had forged documents to support his claims.
Wright’s behavior was criticized by Judge Mellor, who described it as a misuse of the court system intended to deceive and manipulate legal proceedings for personal gain. Despite being offered assistance with travel costs, Wright chose to represent himself and claimed prohibitive business losses would prevent him from attending the hearing.
During the sentencing, Wright appeared via video link but refused to disclose his location, sparking criticism from Judge Mellor. The judge also dismissed Wright’s claims about autism spectrum disorder and personal safety concerns, noting he had participated in multiple legal actions without raising similar issues.
The court concluded that Wright’s contempt was of grave gravity, warranting a custodial sentence. In addition to the suspended prison term, Wright was ordered to pay £144,000 in legal costs within 14 days. This judgment may limit the harm Wright can inflict in future court battles, but it is unlikely to be his last.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2024/12/20/fake-bitcoin-creator-sentenced-for-contempt