British Prosecutors May Charge Craig Wright for Perjury Over Bitcoin Creator Claims

An Australian computer scientist, Craig Wright, who falsely claimed to be Bitcoin's creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, will be referred to British prosecutors for potential perjury and forgery charges. A London judge ruled that Wright misled courts in the UK, Norway, and the US, leading to a significant legal victory for open-source developers.

Craig Wright, an Australian computer scientist, who falsely claimed to be Bitcoin's creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, might face charges of perjury and forgery. A London judge, James Mellor, announced his decision on Tuesday, recommending that the Crown Prosecution Service review the case.

In March, Mellor ruled that Wright was not Nakamoto, the enigmatic figure behind Bitcoin's creation. The judge emphasized that Wright's multiple legal actions, falsely asserting his identity as Bitcoin's inventor, amounted to a severe misuse of the judicial system across the UK, Norway, and the US.

The case, brought forth by the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA), marked a landmark victory for open-source developers. COPA argued that Wright exploited his false claims to stifle further development in open-source technology. The judgment influenced three ongoing lawsuits that Wright filed, which were predicated on his asserted intellectual property rights to Bitcoin.

(With inputs from agencies.)