A UK court has issued a worldwide freeze on £6 million of assets belonging to Craig Wright in an effort to prevent him from moving funds offshore and avoiding court-ordered costs. The decision was made in response to a case brought by the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA), where Judge Mellor concluded that Wright, despite his claims, is not the mysterious creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto.
Wright had recently transferred shares from his company RCJBR Holding to DeMorgan in Singapore, prompting concerns from COPA about potential efforts to evade the costs of the trial. The court estimated COPA’s costs at around £6.7 million, leading to the asset freeze.
The judge expressed worries about Wright’s past non-compliance with financial orders, citing a significant risk of asset dissipation as a reason for the freeze. This ruling effectively puts an end to Wright’s claims of being Nakamoto and sheds light on the true origins of Bitcoin.
The case has sparked a wider discussion about copyright, identity verification, and accountability in the blockchain and crypto industries. It also establishes a precedent for the legal treatment of foundational documents in the crypto space. COPA’s victory is seen as a win for the digital assets sector, promoting the non-proprietary development of Bitcoin.
