Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Craig Steven Wright

Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Craig Steven Wright

Dr Wright is not Satoshi Nakamoto, is not the author of the Bitcoin White Paper, is not the creator of the Bitcoin system, and is not the author of the initial versions of the Bitcoin software. The evidence that Dr Wright forged documents on a grand scale to support his claim is overwhelming. None of the documents relied on by Dr Wright as precursor work or drafts is authentic; most are deliberate forgeries. Dr Wright lied extensively to the court. COPA is entitled to declaratory relief. The court's findings are based on the totality of the evidence, including expert analysis, contemporaneous documents, and the lack of credible support for Dr Wright's claim.

Parties
Claimant in IL 2021 000019; Defendant in the BTC Core Claim: Crypto Open Patent Alliance; Defendant in IL 2021 000019; Claimant in IL 2022 000069: Craig Steven Wright; Claimant in IL 2022 000069: Wright International Investments Limited; Claimant in IL 2022 000069: Wright International Investments UK Limited; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: BTC Core; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Wladimir Jasper van der Laan; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Jonas Schnelli; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Pieter Wuille; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Marco Patrick Falke; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Samuel Dobson; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Michael Rohan Ford; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Cory Fields; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: George Michael Dombrowski (Luke Dashjr); Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Matthew Gregory Corallo; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Peter Todd; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Gregory Fulton Maxwell; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Eric Lombrozo; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: John Newbery; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Peter John Bushnell; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Block, Inc.; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Spiral BTC, Inc.; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Squareup Europe Ltd; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Blockstream Corporation Inc.; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Chaincode Labs, Inc; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Coinbase Global Inc.; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: CB Payments, Ltd; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Coinbase Europe Limited; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Coinbase Inc.; Defendant in IL 2022 000069: Squareup International Limited
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
20 November 2024
Procedural Posture
Civil (intellectual Property, Declaratory, Database Right, Copyright, Passing Off) / Final Judgment After Trial of Preliminary Issue (identity Issue) and Main Claim (copa V Wright) in the High Court of England and Wales, Chancery Division
Outcome
Judgment for COPA. Declarations granted: Dr Wright is not the author of the Bitcoin White Paper; is not the person who adopted or operated under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto between 2008 and 2011; is not the creator of the Bitcoin system; is not the author of the initial versions of the Bitcoin software. Further...
Legal Topics
Declaratory Relief, Forgery, Burden of Proof, Expert Evidence, Blockchain Technology, Cryptocurrency, Digital Signatures, Document Authentication, Abuse of Process
Intellectual Property Copyright Database Right Passing Off Civil Procedure Declaratory Relief Forgery Burden of Proof +6 more

Case Brief

Summary, issues, holding and outcome

More case intelligence is available

Unlock the full research layer for this judgment.

Full judgment text Downloadable case file Legal principles 5 Authorities cited 13 Party arguments 2 Amounts and remedies 3
Sign in to unlock

Parties

Crypto Open Patent Alliance

Claimant in IL 2021 000019; Defendant in the BTC Core Claim

Craig Steven Wright

Defendant in IL 2021 000019; Claimant in IL 2022 000069

Wright International Investments Limited

Claimant in IL 2022 000069

Wright International Investments UK Limited

Claimant in IL 2022 000069

BTC Core

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Wladimir Jasper van der Laan

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Jonas Schnelli

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Pieter Wuille

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Marco Patrick Falke

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Samuel Dobson

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Michael Rohan Ford

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Cory Fields

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

George Michael Dombrowski (Luke Dashjr)

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Matthew Gregory Corallo

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Peter Todd

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Gregory Fulton Maxwell

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Eric Lombrozo

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

John Newbery

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Peter John Bushnell

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Block, Inc.

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Spiral BTC, Inc.

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Squareup Europe Ltd

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Blockstream Corporation Inc.

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Chaincode Labs, Inc

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Coinbase Global Inc.

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

CB Payments, Ltd

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Coinbase Europe Limited

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Coinbase Inc.

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Squareup International Limited

Defendant in IL 2022 000069

Procedural Posture

Civil (intellectual Property, Declaratory, Database Right, Copyright, Passing Off) / Final Judgment After Trial of Preliminary Issue (identity Issue) and Main Claim (copa V Wright) in the High Court of England and Wales, Chancery Division

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether Dr Craig Steven Wright is Satoshi Nakamoto, the author of the Bitcoin White Paper, creator of the Bitcoin system, and author of the initial Bitcoin software;
  2. 2 Whether Dr Wright forged documents to support his claim;
  3. 3 Whether COPA is entitled to declaratory and further relief;

Ratio Decidendi

Dr Wright is not Satoshi Nakamoto, is not the author of the Bitcoin White Paper, is not the creator of the Bitcoin system, and is not the author of the initial versions of the Bitcoin software. The evidence that Dr Wright forged documents on a grand scale to support his claim is overwhelming. None of the documents relied on by Dr Wright as precursor work or drafts is authentic; most are deliberate forgeries. Dr Wright lied extensively to the court. COPA is entitled to declaratory relief. The court's findings are based on the totality of the evidence, including expert analysis, contemporaneous documents, and the lack of credible support for Dr Wright's claim.

Court Disposition

Judgment for COPA. Declarations granted: Dr Wright is not the author of the Bitcoin White Paper; is not the person who adopted or operated under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto between 2008 and 2011; is not the creator of the Bitcoin system; is not the author of the initial versions of the Bitcoin software. Further...

Orders

  • Declarations as above granted;
  • Time for filing any appellant’s notice extended until 21 days after the form of order hearing;