In December 2024, Australian computer scientist Craig Wright, who has long asserted himself as Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, was found in contempt of the United Kingdom’s High Court. The court sentenced him to a 12-month prison term, suspended for two years, for violating a court order that prohibited him from initiating or threatening legal actions related to Bitcoin.
Craig Wright emerged in 2015, claiming to be Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin. Despite his assertions, Wright has not provided conclusive evidence to substantiate his claim, leading to widespread skepticism within the cryptocurrency community and beyond. In March 2024, the UK High Court ruled that Wright is not Satoshi Nakamoto, describing his claims as false.
In July 2024, the High Court issued an injunction barring Wright from pursuing or threatening any legal action asserting his alleged rights as Bitcoin’s creator. Despite this, Wright proceeded to file a lawsuit in October 2024 against Bitcoin developers and companies, including Block (formerly Square), founded by Jack Dorsey. The lawsuit sought damages amounting to £911 billion (approximately $1.2 trillion), alleging infringements of intellectual property rights.
This direct defiance of the court’s injunction led to contempt proceedings initiated by the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA), a non-profit organization advocating for open access to cryptocurrency technologies. COPA accused Wright of flagrantly disregarding the court’s authority and continuing a campaign to intimidate developers and critics through baseless legal threats.
Presiding over the contempt proceedings, Judge James Mellor found Wright guilty on five counts of contempt of court. In his judgment, Judge Mellor stated that Wright had “knowingly and deliberately” breached the court order, demonstrating a blatant disregard for the judicial process. Consequently, Wright was sentenced to 12 months in prison, with the sentence suspended for two years. Additionally, he was ordered to pay £145,000 (approximately $180,000) in legal costs within two weeks.
The suspended sentence implies that Wright will avoid imprisonment provided he does not commit further violations within the two-year suspension period. However, any subsequent breach could activate the prison term, leading to his incarceration.
Wright’s persistent claims of being Satoshi Nakamoto and his aggressive legal actions have been a source of controversy and division within the cryptocurrency community. His attempts to assert control over Bitcoin’s intellectual property through litigation have been widely criticized as detrimental to the principles of decentralization and open-source development that underpin the cryptocurrency ethos.
The High Court’s ruling serves as a significant rebuke to Wright’s tactics, reinforcing the importance of judicial authority and the rule of law. It also underscores the necessity for credible evidence when making extraordinary claims, particularly those that can influence financial markets and technological development.
Following the sentencing, Wright, who attended the hearing via video link from Asia, indicated his intention to appeal the court’s decision. He has consistently maintained his claim to be Bitcoin’s creator, despite mounting legal defeats and growing skepticism. The court’s judgment, however, has further eroded his credibility, casting doubt on the viability of any future legal endeavors predicated on his alleged identity as Satoshi Nakamoto.
The UK High Court’s contempt ruling against Craig Wright marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing saga surrounding his claims to Bitcoin’s creation. The suspended prison sentence serves as both a punishment for his defiance of court orders and a deterrent against future misconduct. For the broader cryptocurrency community, this case highlights the critical importance of integrity, transparency, and adherence to legal and ethical standards in the pursuit of innovation and development.
