Craig Wright certified as a fake Satoshi Nakamoto by the court, Australian lawyer representing Wright: Improper ruling violates freedom of speech
British judge James Mellor delivered his closing remarks in the lawsuit between Craig Wright and the Cryptocurrency Open Patent Alliance (COPA), explicitly stating that Craig Wright is not Satoshi Nakamoto and is not the author of the Bitcoin whitepaper.
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The Story of Craig Wright, also known as "Faketoshi"
Craig Wright has long claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin, but later shifted his support to Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and then forked out Bitcoin SV (BSV) in 2018. He is of Australian nationality and has been dubbed "Faketoshi" by the community.
Craig Wright has been adept at legal battles, and despite never being able to prove in court that he is Satoshi Nakamoto, his substantial financial resources and professional legal team have allowed him to gain the upper hand in various copyright infringement lawsuits.
Craig Wright Declared Fake Satoshi by Court
According to a report by CoinDesk, Judge James Mellor found the evidence presented during a month-long trial to be overwhelming and made the following statements before writing a full judgment:
Craig Wright is not the author of the Bitcoin whitepaper.
Craig Wright did not use the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto between 2008 and 2011.
Craig Wright is not the creator of the Bitcoin system.
Craig Wright is not the author of the original version of the Bitcoin software.
Crypto Community Resources Actively Assist, "Faketoshi" Craig Wright Faces Defeat
Prominent figures in the Bitcoin community, such as OG Bitcoin figures, podcast host Peter McCormack of "What Bitcoin Did," and Cobra from Bitcoin.org, have all faced legal defeats against Craig Wright and may have been forced to pay significant legal fees to him.
Summary Judgment: Bitcoin.org Owner Ordered to Remove Bitcoin Whitepaper, Pay Legal Fees to "Faketoshi"
However, intervention from Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and Coinbase led to a turning point.
Jack Dorsey's payment company Square established the Cryptocurrency Open Patent Alliance (COPA) in 2021 to protect the ideals of freedom and decentralization in the crypto community, assist in cases like those involving Craig Wright, and defend against "patent trolls."
COPA filed a lawsuit against Wright in 2021 to prevent him from taking legal action against developers and other members of the cryptocurrency community.
COPA told CoinDesk:
This ruling is a victory for developers, the entire open-source community, and the truth. For over eight years, Craig Wright and his supporters have falsely claimed he is Satoshi Nakamoto and used this lie to bully and intimidate the Bitcoin community and developers.
Prohibition Against Claiming to Be Satoshi Nakamoto
Craig Wright's lawyer, Lord Anthony Grabiner, appears to be dissatisfied with the outcome, stating:
This injunction is unprecedented in the UK, to the extent that Craig Wright could be fined or imprisoned for simply claiming to be Satoshi Nakamoto in a park. The injunction is malicious, and the court should consider a judgment that does not infringe on Craig Wright's freedom of speech, allowing him to identify himself to his own community.
Judge James Mellor has not disclosed when the final written judgment will be released, and Craig Wright has not publicly commented on the outcome.