Craig Wright, the Australian computer scientist who controversially claimed to be the creator of bitcoin, has been found in contempt of court by London’s High Court. On Thursday, Justice James Mellor delivered the ruling, which included a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after Wright violated a court order prohibiting him from making further claims related to the cryptocurrency.
The court’s judgment stems from a breach of an order made in March, which prohibited Wright from taking any legal actions or making any assertions regarding his supposed role as the creator of bitcoin. The ruling confirmed that Wright’s repeated claims that he was the pseudonymous figure “Satoshi Nakamoto,” credited with creating the digital currency, had no basis in fact.
Justice Mellor concluded that Wright’s actions were a “clear breach” of the previous court order, pointing to an incident in October 2024 when Wright issued claims amounting to £900 billion ($1.6 trillion) related to intellectual property rights tied to bitcoin. These claims, made against various companies and individuals in the cryptocurrency sector, were viewed by the Crypto Open Patent Alliance, a group representing technology firms, as a violation of the court’s March ruling.
Wright had been under scrutiny for years due to his persistent claims about being Nakamoto, the elusive individual or group behind bitcoin’s creation in 2008. Despite his insistence, multiple courts have ruled against him, affirming that there is no evidence linking him to the origins of the cryptocurrency or its software development.
The contempt ruling marks a significant legal setback for Wright, who attended the hearing via video from either Singapore or Indonesia. During the hearing, he maintained his stance and announced his intention to appeal the contempt ruling.
The case has been a long-running saga, with Wright’s credibility repeatedly questioned in relation to his bitcoin claims. Critics have accused him of attempting to capitalize on bitcoin’s explosive rise in value. As the cryptocurrency market has expanded exponentially over the past decade, Wright’s ongoing assertions about his connection to its creation have stirred both legal and public debate.
This latest legal decision adds to a series of legal challenges that have shadowed Wright’s career and reputation within the cryptocurrency community. While his claims to be Nakamoto continue to be met with skepticism, this latest ruling serves as a reminder of the legal consequences of making unfounded assertions in the digital age.
