Emily Walker
The UK Court of Appeal has decisively turned down Craig Steven Wright’s request to appeal a ruling that he is Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin’s creator. This ruling effectively dismisses Wright’s claims, solidifying the general belief that he is not the person behind the pseudonym.
Earlier, in May, the UK High Court ruled that Wright is not Satoshi Nakamoto following a lawsuit from the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA), which accused him of forgery to support his claim of being Nakamoto.
Final Ruling: Craig Wright Is Not Satoshi Nakamoto
On November 28, 2024, the Court of Appeal issued a judgment that firmly stated, “Dr. Wright […] is not the individual who used the name Satoshi Nakamoto, who created and published the Bitcoin White Paper on October 31, 2008, and who developed the initial Bitcoin Source Code.” This decision came after a rigorous 22-day trial that assessed extensive factual and expert evidence.
BitMEX Research released a report on X, highlighting significant parts of the court’s ruling and showcasing the detailed nature of the verdict, which included 945 paragraphs of judgment along with an additional 799 in the annex, emphasizing the substantial evidence against Wright’s identity as Satoshi Nakamoto.
Key points that influenced the ruling included findings that Wright had “lied multiple times” and had “forged numerous documents” to back up his claims. The judge’s extensive review featured over eight days of cross-examination of Wright, along with 15 witness statements that collectively debunked his assertions.
When addressing Wright’s post-trial claims, the judge systematically countered his allegations that there had been misunderstanding or misrepresentation regarding the evidence presented.
Despite Wright’s accusations of bias against the judge, the court dismissed these claims, stating there was no credible evidence to support them. The court noted, “Dr. Wright accuses the judge of bias, but these assertions lack merit and only reflect disagreements with the judge’s conclusions. The judge went out of his way to ensure a fair trial for Dr. Wright.”
The court also responded to Wright’s objections regarding the expert testimony, clarifying that his experts had mostly agreed with those from COPA, which weakened his position on their qualifications and legal strategy. Furthermore, Wright’s claims about the authentication of documents were dismissed, as it is standard practice that documents are presumed authentic unless proven otherwise.
On the issue of reasonable accommodations for Wright’s Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the court deemed these claims “groundless,” emphasizing that the adjustments were satisfactorily made, and Wright had even expressed positive feedback about the cross-examination process.
“The judge implemented accommodations agreed upon by both parties’ experts concerning ASD, and there were no complaints during the trial regarding their adequacy. Dr. Wright even provided favorable comments after cross-examination,” the court concluded.
In closing, the court firmly stated, “The appeals stand no chance of success, and there are no grounds for further hearings,” thus putting an end to Wright’s attempts to prove his identity as the creator of Bitcoin.
As of the latest update, Bitcoin’s price was $97,860.