In a significant blow to Craig Wright, who claims to be Bitcoin’s elusive creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, the Supreme Court has dismissed his final appeal in a libel case against Bitcoin podcaster Peter McCormack. The ruling also stipulated a mere compensation of 1 GBP for Wright in the defamation claim.McCormack revealed the court’s decision, stating that three Supreme Court justices—Lord Briggs, Lady Rose, and Lord Richards—denied permission to appeal, asserting that Wright’s appeal failed to raise an arguable question of law.
This marks the conclusion of Wright’s substantive claim against McCormack, who expressed relief after five years of legal battles. Craig Wright had sought legal action against McCormack for alleged libel, a case that McCormack described as “5 years of hell.” The verdict, however, leaves Wright with minimal compensation and ends the legal ordeal for McCormack, who acknowledged the support from his legal team, his brother, and the community during this challenging period.
Notable pseudonymous Bitcoiner Magnus Granath, also known as Hodlonaut, weighed in on the development, shedding light on the relentless legal pressure he faced from Craig Wright and Calvin Ayre. Granath recounted threats, doxxing, and intimidation tactics initiated by both parties, emphasizing the lack of mercy for such actions.
COPA Rejects Craig Wright’s Settlement Offer
Wright’s legal battles extend beyond this libel case, with several ongoing lawsuits against crypto companies and Bitcoin developers. Recently, he extended a settlement offer to the Cryptocurrency Open Patent Alliance [COPA], an offer subsequently rejected by the latter. Led by Square, COPA emphasized their skepticism, highlighting potential loopholes that could allow Wright to pursue legal action once again.
The group initiated legal action against Wright in the U.K., challenging his copyright assertions related to the Bitcoin white paper. COPA, in response to a cease-and-desist notice from Wright’s lawyers, demanded proof of his identity as Satoshi Nakamoto before considering any removal of the white paper from their site. The rejection of Wright’s settlement offer adds another layer to the ongoing legal saga surrounding Bitcoin’s controversial figure.