A UK judge has issued a worldwide freezing order against Craig Wright, preventing him from transferring his assets offshore after falsely claiming to be the creator of Bitcoin. The ruling stemmed from a court case initiated by the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA), challenging Wright’s claims of being Satoshi Nakamoto. The judge debunked Wright’s assertions and determined that he did not author the Bitcoin white paper or initial versions of the software. Concerns arose when Wright attempted to transfer shares of his company to evade financial consequences, prompting the judge to issue the freezing order to prevent asset dissipation.
The judge highlighted Wright’s history of defaulting on payment orders and expressed concerns that he may dissipate his assets to avoid financial obligations. COPA had sought injunctive relief to prevent Wright from continuing to claim he was Nakamoto. The case brought forth allegations of document forgery against Wright, suggesting that he had fabricated evidence to support his claim. Evidence presented during the trial painted a picture of Wright’s alleged falsehoods on a significant scale, supporting the judge’s decision to issue the asset freezing order to protect COPA’s substantial costs.
The ruling that Craig Wright is not Satoshi Nakamoto was made after extensive closing arguments in the lawsuit brought by COPA against Wright. COPA focused on promoting cryptocurrency technologies while challenging patents as barriers to growth and innovation. The evidence presented during the trial pointed towards Wright’s deception, with COPA alleging that he had invented an elaborate biographical history and produced forged documents to support his claims. Additionally, a recent investigation has suggested that Nakamoto may actually be a collective entity, challenging Wright’s singular claim to the pseudonym.
In response to the judge’s ruling, Craig Wright made a move to transfer shares of his company to a Singapore-based entity, raising suspicions of attempting to evade financial consequences. The freezing order blocked £6 million of Wright’s assets and prohibited him from transferring them offshore. Judge Mellor acknowledged COPA’s strong claim for substantial costs and deemed it necessary to prevent asset dissipation. The evidence presented during the trial, including allegations of document forgery and deception, supported the judge’s decision to issue the freezing order to protect COPA’s interests.
The court’s ruling that Craig Wright is not Satoshi Nakamoto came at the end of a lawsuit initiated by COPA, challenging Wright’s claims. The judge not only debunked Wright’s assertions but also highlighted his history of defaulting on payment orders and expressed concerns about asset dissipation. COPA’s closing submission emphasized Wright’s extensive deception and fabricated evidence to support his claim. The judge issued the asset freezing order to ensure that COPA’s substantial costs are protected and prevent Wright from avoiding his financial obligations. Additionally, recent investigations suggesting Nakamoto may be a collective entity raise further questions about Wright’s continued claims of being the Bitcoin founder.
