December 19, 2024
Craig Wright, who repeatedly and falsely claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for contempt of court.
The sentence was issued by a London court, and was suspended for two years.
Craig Wright's Satoshi Nakamoto Obsession Lands Him in Prison
The case stems from Wright's $1.1 trillion lawsuit over intellectual property rights related to Bitcoin, which was filed in violation of a previous court ruling.
The Cryptocurrency Open Patent Alliance (COPA) brought the case against Wright, arguing that his October lawsuit ignored a July ruling that barred him from pursuing legal action related to his claim to be Nakamoto.
Judge Mellor ruled in March that Wright was not the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin and barred him from pursuing related cases in the UK or anywhere else.
Craig Wright faced several legal challenges to his claims throughout 2024. A British court previously dismissed his evidence, deeming his case without merit.
Prominent businessman Kristin Ager-Hansen wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “This sentencing of Craig Wright is proof that truth matters and that justice can prevail. Wright has been held to account, and the CPS investigation into the perjury charges against him and Matthews is a key next step. Calvin Ayre’s role in funding and supporting this fraud must also be closely examined.”
Wright, who attended the sentencing virtually from an undisclosed location in Asia, said he would appeal the ruling. He declined to say exactly where.
As Bitcoin’s popularity has surged throughout this year due to its historic high, interest in the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto has also increased. Recently, an HBO documentary titled Money Electric sparked controversy by suggesting that Canadian cryptographer Peter Todd could be Nakamoto.
However, Todd denied the allegations and reportedly went into hiding after receiving threats and unwelcome attention.
The mystery deepened in October when Stephen Mola claimed at a press conference in London that he was Nakamoto. The event descended into chaos as Mola failed to provide credible evidence, and technical problems further undermined his claim.
Despite this constant speculation and high-profile incidents, the true identity of Bitcoin’s creator remains undiscovered. Time and again, individuals like Wright have claimed to be the mysterious figure, only to get themselves into more trouble than they bargained for.