Australian computer scientist Craig Wright, who claims to be the inventor of Bitcoin, is currently embroiled in a contempt of court case. This legal battle stems from his lawsuit against the BTC Core developers and Jack Dorsey’s Square. UK Judge James Mellor has decided to pause Wright’s lawsuit until a contempt application is resolved on December 18.
Legal Controversy Surrounding Craig Wright
On November 1, Craig Wright attended a court hearing concerning a contempt of court application related to his £911 million lawsuit, equivalent to $1.2 billion, against Bitcoin Core developers and Square Up European Ltd. The Cryptocurrency Open Patent Alliance (COPA) responded by filing a contempt application, alleging that Wright violated an injunction from the main Bitcoin authorship trial.
Earlier this year, as reported by Bitcoinist, British High Court Judge James Mellor dismissed Wright’s claims of being Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. The Judge concluded that Wright had “extensively and repeatedly” fabricated evidence and forged documents to support his assertions. Consequently, the court ordered Wright to acknowledge he was not Satoshi Nakamoto and to desist from any further legal actions related to his disproven authorship claims.
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According to a court hearing transcription shared by BitMEX Research, the application argues that Wright breached the Court’s prior ruling by threatening to initiate Precluded Proceedings and subsequently doing so against Bitcoin Core and Square.
Wright’s Lawsuit and the Role of COPA
The self-proclaimed Satoshi Nakamoto filed a lawsuit on October 10, asserting that BTC Core developers and “all affiliated parties” misrepresented BTC as the original Bitcoin. Wright, acting as his own legal representative, contends that the Taproot and Segregated Witness (SegWit) upgrades have caused confusion in the market and compromised the original Bitcoin protocol’s vision. Furthermore, Wright claims that Bitcoin SV (BSV) is the authentic version of the flagship cryptocurrency and has sought over $1 billion in damages for undermining the asset and creating a misperception.
Wright’s Defense Against Contempt Allegations
During the recent hearing, Wright, who participated via video call from Singapore, denied the accusations, stating, “I do not believe I am in contempt, my lord.” He mentioned his willingness to amend the case if found in contempt, as he did not intend to breach any rulings. Previously, Wright elaborated on an X thread that he did not initiate the latest legal battle as Satoshi but as someone who has invested significantly in the Bitcoin system. He argues his new claim is “fundamentally different” from an identity claim, as it is based on his “contributions to the development, maintenance, and extension of the Bitcoin blockchain.”
Judge Mellor opted to halt Wright’s lawsuit while resolving the contempt application and scheduled a hearing for December 18. Wright initially resisted physically appearing in court that day, citing his autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a hindrance to being present in court. Meanwhile, COPA’s legal representative, Jonathan Hough, emphasized the seriousness of the allegation and insisted that all parties should appear in court: “This is an extremely serious judicial proceeding. Therefore, we think it should take place in person. CSW has brought a very large claim, and if there is any merit in COPA’s application, it is wrong in principle to hide behind a keyboard from a closet in Thailand. CSW says he is a UK resident and should be expected to return to the UK for the hearing.”
In response, Judge Mellor set an additional direction hearing date for November 26 to determine whether Wright will attend the court proceedings in person.
Current Market Context
In the midst of these legal proceedings, Bitcoin is trading at $69,592 as observed on the three-day chart. The cryptocurrency market continues to watch these legal developments closely, as they may have significant implications for Bitcoin and its related technologies.
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