Craig Wright Receives Suspended 12-Month Sentence for Contempt Over False Bitcoin Claims

Dec 19, 2024, 03:21 PM

Craig Wright, the Australian computer scientist who has falsely claimed to be the inventor of Bitcoin, has been found guilty of contempt of court on five counts by a London judge. In a High Court ruling, Judge Mellor sentenced Wright to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered him to pay costs, after determining he had breached a court order by continuing to assert that he created Bitcoin and pursuing related legal proceedings, including a £900 billion claim. The case was brought against him by the Cryptocurrency Open Patent Alliance (COPA). Wright, who did not attend the hearing and is believed to be in Asia, faces potential imprisonment if he breaches the suspension terms. The judge noted Wright showed no remorse. This ruling marks a significant blow to Wright's credibility in his ongoing claim to be Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin.