Computer scientist ‘lied extensively’ in Bitcoin founder claim, judge rules

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. All his lies and forged documents were in support of his biggest lie: his claim to be Satoshi Nakamoto Mr Justice Mellor In written reasons for his decision, handed down on Monday, the judge said that he was “entirely satisfied” that Dr Wright repeatedly lied and committed “clumsy” forgeries “on a grand scale” to support his claims. “All his lies and forged documents were in support of his biggest lie: his claim to be Satoshi Nakamoto.” Mr Justice Mellor said that Dr Wright found “convenient excuses” for evidence against him and that his attempts to prove he was Satoshi “represent a most serious abuse of the court’s process”. As soon as one lie was exposed, Dr Wright resorted to further lies and evasions Mr Justice Mellor Barristers for Copa told the trial in London earlier this year that Dr Wright’s claim to be Satoshi was “founded on an elaborate false narrative” and was substantiated by forged documents which showed “clear signs of having been doctored”. “The final destination frequently turned out to be either Dr Wright blaming some other, often unidentified, person for his predicament or what can only be described as technobabble delivered by him in the witness box.” Developers can now continue their important work maintaining, iterating on, and improving the Bitcoin network without risking their personal livelihoods or fearing costly and time-consuming litigation from Craig Wright Copa He continued: “I tried to identify whether there was any reliable evidence to support Dr Wright’s claim and concluded there was none.” The judge added that Satoshi “remains a pseudonym” but that “it is likely that a number of people contributed to the creation of Bitcoin, albeit that there may well have been one central individual”.