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Australian computer scientist Craig Wright, who has long claimed to be Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto, was convicted of contempt of court by a UK judge. His sentence included a 24-month suspension and 12 months in prison.
The ruling comes after Wright’s claims to be Nakamoto were dismissed by a court in March. As part of an intellectual property claim for £900 billion, Wright asserted copyright ownership of key code databases and the Bitcoin whitepaper.
The Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) challenged Wright’s claims in the UK, aiming to put an end to his assertions of being Bitcoin’s creator. Several prominent figures from the Bitcoin community, including Adam Back, a key contributor to the proof-of-work consensus model, testified against Wright during the trial.
The court ultimately sided with COPA, declaring Wright was “not Satoshi.” Wright’s actions during the legal proceedings, including his refusal to provide required information, led to the contempt charge.
Dave Grimaldi, Executive Vice President at COPA, emphasized the importance of the ruling in preserving the integrity of Bitcoin’s origins. “This case ensures the Bitcoin community is not misled by false claims,” he said.
Wright seems intent on challenging the court’s judgment even after the guilty conviction. He declined to reveal his physical whereabouts and participated in the sentencing via a virtual meeting. According to The Guardian, Wright declared his plan to appeal the decision.
The case highlights persistent disputes over Bitcoin’s origins among the cryptocurrency industry. Now that the court verdict is known, COPA and its backers are hopeful that it will safeguard Bitcoin’s intellectual underpinnings.