High Court Ruling Against Craig Wright
A British High Court has ruled that Craig Wright, a notable computer scientist, is prohibited from initiating any further defamation lawsuits. This decision was rendered on May 12 by High Court Judge Edward Mellor, who characterized Wright’s ongoing legal attempts and false assertions as creating a ‘legal hell’ for individuals and developers within the Bitcoin community.
Legal Abuse and General Civil Restraint Order
The judge noted that Wright’s tactics appeared to be a calculated effort to utilize the legal system as a means of intimidation against his detractors. According to the judgment, Wright’s numerous lawsuits led to significant emotional and financial burdens on those accused, often relying on evidence that was later deemed fabricated.
Judge Mellor implemented a General Civil Restraint Order, effectively barring Wright from submitting any additional civil claims or applications in the High Court. This order was influenced by evidence demonstrating a consistent pattern of legal abuse aimed at falsely claiming he held the identity of Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto.
Impact on the Bitcoin Community
“It is clear that Dr. Wright possessed considerable financial resources from the onset of his campaign, rendering his defamation endeavors disproportionately combative,” remarked Judge Mellor.
The court’s decision stemmed from a complaint initiated by the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) in 2021, which sought court declarations and relief due to threats directed at its members, including prominent crypto commentator Peter McCormack and Magnus Granath, known as Hodlonaut.
Continuous Distress and Innovation Disruption
In his ruling, Mellor highlighted the significant toll taken on McCormack and Granath, describing their experiences as five years of relentless distress brought on by Wright’s legal action. He stated that these defamation allegations were part of a strategic campaign by Wright and his supporters to wrongly assert his claim of being Nakamoto through significantly unbalanced legal encounters. Meanwhile, COPA’s mission focuses on promoting cryptocurrency innovation and reducing patent-related barriers to development in this sector.
Wright’s aggressive legal strategy has reportedly hindered progress in the cryptocurrency field, which Judge Mellor noted was an industry of key technological importance.
“Dr. Wright’s actions have not only impacted the individuals targeted but have also significantly disrupted innovation in this critical technology area,” he said.
Previous Court Verdicts and Ongoing Legal Issues
This ruling follows a past High Court verdict issued last March, which confirmed that Wright was neither the author of the Bitcoin white paper nor involved in its creation under the name Satoshi Nakamoto. In a recent development, Wright even issued a public disclaimer on his website in July, further distancing himself from any claims to the Bitcoin legacy.
Adding to his legal woes, he faced a suspended sentence for contempt of court in the UK in December, and his long-standing ‘faketoshi’ saga has seen him pursue libel cases against several notable figures, including Ethereum’s co-founder Vitalik Buterin and Bitcoin’s pioneer Adam Back.
