news 
Craig Wright Faces 12-Month Suspended Sentence for Contempt in Satoshi Claims
High Court Judge James Mellor has handed down a suspended sentence of 12 months to Craig Wright, the Australian computer scientist who has repeatedly claimed to be the creator of Bitcoin under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. The ruling comes as a result of Wright’s refusal to comply with previous court orders and his continued assertions that he is the elusive programmer behind the world’s most popular cryptocurrency.
In March 2024, a UK court officially dismissed Wright’s £900 billion intellectual property claim, stating that he had no evidence to support his assertion. However, Wright refused to accept the ruling and instead filed a new lawsuit in October 2024, seeking $1.14 trillion in damages as he claimed Bitcoin has “fundamentally deviated” from what he called Satoshi Nakamoto’s original vision.
The court considered this latest legal action as an act of contempt of court, leading Judge Mellor to issue the suspended sentence. Wright was not present in person for the hearing, instead joining via video conference, citing financial hardship if he were to travel to the UK.
As part of his punishment, Wright has been ordered to comply with all court orders and cease making claims that he is Satoshi Nakamoto or the author of the Bitcoin whitepaper. This includes refraining from filing any further court proceedings related to these assertions for a period of two years.
Counsel for Craig Wright’s opponent in the case, Crypto Advocacy Group (CAG), expressed their relief at the ruling, stating, “The whole world can see that he was not Satoshi.” The organization has long been critical of Wright’s claims and their potential impact on the legitimacy of the Bitcoin network.
Wright has indicated his intention to appeal the verdict, which would mean continued legal battles for all parties involved. Meanwhile, Wright remains uncooperative, refusing to disclose his physical location or engage with the court process in any meaningful way.
The implications of this ruling are significant, as it effectively brings an end to Wright’s claims of being Satoshi Nakamoto and may potentially damage his reputation within the cryptocurrency community.
Source: blockonomi.com
