The world knows 'Satoshi Nakamoto' invented Bitcoin. But there's a catch - no one seems to know who Satoshi Nakamoto is!
London's High Court delved into the Nakamoto mystery on Thursday, delivering a scathing judgment against Australian, Craig Wright. The 54-year-old computer scientist claims he wrote a concept document that formed the foundations of the digital currency.
Wright says he used 'Satoshi Nakamoto' as a pen name. But Judge James Mellor wasn't buying his argument, ruling there was "overwhelming" evidence against him.
Australian Craig Wright claims he is the inventor of the digital currency, Bitcoin. /Toby Melville/Reuters
Who is 'Satoshi Nakamoto'?
The concept document, or white paper, was released under the name 'Satoshi Nakamoto' in 2008. Someone using the same name transferred the first-ever Bitcoin and reports suggest this person may still own a million units. But the identity of the 'brains behind Bitcoin' has always been shrouded in speculation.
Wright went public with his claims in 2016, telling the BBC he was "the main part of it, but other people helped me." The Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) filed legal papers in 2021, saying it wanted to prevent Wright from suing Bitcoin developers.
COPA is a non-profit group made up of technology and digital currency firms. It said it was trying to ensure the technology remained 'open source', or freely available to the public.
Bitcoin has become the world's most popular digital currency since it was created nearly 16 years ago. /Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters
Wright's actions 'a farce'
COPA's lawyer, Jonathan Hough, slammed Wright's statements when the trial started last month, telling the court they were "an elaborate false narrative supported by forgery on an industrial scale."
Wright's lawyers claimed there was "clear evidence demonstrating his authorship of the white paper and creation of Bitcoin." COPA rejected that argument, accusing Wright of forging several documents, both before and during the trial.
Hough pointed to claims that Wright used the ChatGPT app to produce forgeries, saying "there are elements of Dr Wright's conduct that stray into farce." But he also warned that Wright's behavior was no laughing matter. "Dr Wright's conduct is also deadly serious. On the basis of his dishonest claim to be Satoshi, he has pursued claims he puts at hundreds of billions of dollars."
Lawyers argued that Wright tried to fabricate evidence presented at his trial. /AP/Marta Lavandier
More legal trouble looming
Wright's spokesperson said after the trial that he was "not prepared to speak to anyone at this time." But he may still have to answer to claims that he lied in court. COPA asked Judge Mellor to refer Wright's conduct "for consideration of prosecution for the offences of perjury and perverting the course of justice." Mellor has not indicated how he will respond to that request.
Meanwhile, Wright may have suffered more legal setbacks. The latest ruling could impact three lawsuits which he filed after claiming he owned the intellectual property rights to Bitcoin. Those cases are based on the idea that he is Satoshi Nakamoto.
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