Financial Review: ‘Australian Craig Wright did not invent bitcoin, UK judge rules’
“A British judge has ruled that Brisbane-born computer scientist Craig Wright is not bitcoin inventor Satoshi Nakamoto, potentially closing the curtain on years of speculation and litigation about the Australian’s claims.
In a terse verbal ruling at the end of a six-week case in London, high court judge James Mellor said “the evidence is overwhelming” that Dr Wright’s claims were false.
“I’m prepared to say this: Dr Wright is not the inventor of bitcoin,” Justice Mellor said, according to court reports. “Dr Wright is not the author of the bitcoin white paper. He is not the person who adopted the name Satoshi Nakamoto.”
Justice Mellor said he would “in due course” issue a written judgement, which would elaborate his conclusions on why Dr Wright had not created the bitcoin system nor written the bitcoin software.
The surprise snap findings on Thursday (Friday AEDT) will electrify the tech community, which has traded bitter blows over Dr Wright and his claims for almost a decade.
It could also, if the plaintiffs get their way, pitch the 53-year-old, UK-based Australian into a new criminal trial on accusations of fraud.”