Craig Wright Court Trial: Dramatic Twists on Day 15

A self-proclaimed Bitcoin inventor, Craig Wright’s court trial hits a snag! On the fifteenth day of the highly anticipated court trial involving Craig Wright, a contentious development has emerged. Wright, who has long been a controversial figure in the cryptocurrency community, is now challenging the authenticity of crucial evidence presented against him. While cross-examining the arguments of Patrick Madden, a digital forensics expert, Wright’s wife, Ramona Watts, presented these emails. Moreover, a forgery video of Wright allegedly recreating the Bitcoin White paper was presented in the court. Let’s recap all the dramas that garnered huge attention on Day 15 of Wright’s court trial.

TL;DR

Craig Wright’s court trial faced significant drama on Day 15 as he challenged the authenticity of evidence. His former lawyer claimed that emails presented as proof are not genuine, and a video alleging forgery was shown in court.

Key Takeaways

Craig Wright is contesting the authenticity of evidence in his trial.
His wife presented emails that are now under scrutiny.
A video alleging Wright's forgery of the Bitcoin White paper was shown in court.
A former lawyer stated that the emails are not genuine.
The trial continues with further cross-examinations scheduled.

COPA vs Craig Wright: A Long Battle Finally Ending?

In 2015, Craig Wright emerged claiming to be the real ‘Satoshi Nakamoto,’ the creator of Bitcoin. This claim has led to significant controversy, with many in the crypto community labeling him a ‘Big Liar.’ Consequently, the Cryptocurrency Open Patent Alliance (COPA) sued Wright, seeking a court declaration that he is not Satoshi Nakamoto.

For an in-depth history of this case, read our previously published news blog post. We’ve also recapped all the hearings from February 6 to February 14, where Craig Wright’s statements were cross-examined.

The cross-examination of digital forensic experts is scheduled from February 23 to March 1, and it has already garnered significant attention due to the evidence presented.

Recap of Madden’s Cross-Examination in Craig Wright’s Court Trial

During the cross-examination of Patrick Madden, a digital forensics expert, tensions rose. Madden questioned the reliability of the documents presented by Wright’s legal team as proof.

Craig Orr: Is the footer in a document presented by Wright as evidence that could or could not have existed in 2008?

Madden: ‘I can’t say that 100%.’

Craig Orr: Are you speculating these things?

Madden: ‘It’s a bit more than that, but okay.’

Craig Orr: Why did you rely on Bird & Bird LLP (COPA’s counsel) to draft his report instead of hiring an independent professional assistant?

Madden: ‘I didn’t trust anyone else to do the work.’

Originally, Madden’s cross-examination was planned for at least two days but concluded in less than a day. Consequently, Shoosmiths had to cross-examine two more witnesses from COPA’s side.

Digging Long-Year-Ago History in Craig Wright’s Case: The Emails Between Satoshi with Martti Malmi & Adam Back Become Public in Court Trial

If you’re well-informed on Bitcoin’s history, you may know Martti Malmi and Adam Back.

Martti Malmi’s Emails Are Irrelevant

Martti Malmi was the first administrator of Bitcoin.org. After Satoshi disappeared, he published a series of emails on GitHub. These emails were casual and professional conversations regarding the creation of Bitcoin. Wright presented these emails as evidence to prove he is the real ‘Satoshi Nakamoto.’ Malmi had to take the witness stand to explain why these emails were kept secret, arguing they contained sensitive information that is now irrelevant.

Adam Back’s Emails Got Public, and He Isn’t Able to Recall the Actual Conversation

On February 22, 2023, Adam Back was called to the witness stand when Wright presented an email conversation between Back and Satoshi. In these emails, Nakamoto praised Back’s Hashcash, a precursor to Bitcoin, and mentioned crediting the author of the B-Money webpage in his Bitcoin whitepaper.

During cross-examination, Adam Back stated that his conversations with Nakamoto were minimal and he hardly remembers the actual discussions.

A Big Expose Came to Front: Wright’s Former Lawyer Calls These Emails as ‘Not Genuine’

Things took a dramatic turn when Wright’s former lawyers stated in court that the emails shared by Wright’s wife as evidence are not genuine. This shocking revelation led to the court disclosing the emails and the responses from both sides. The emails, witness statements, and other documents are set to be analyzed in the next proceeding.

The Forgery Video Being Played in the Courtroom

In an unexpected turn, an animation video was played in the British High Court, demonstrating Wright’s alleged attempt to recreate Bitcoin’s whitepaper in LaTeX. Although Wright denied this allegation, COPA stands firm on its findings.

What’s Next?

After the last drama of the cross-examination period, the court adjourned for the weekend. The trial will resume today, continuing the discussion on the truth behind Satoshi’s emails with Malmi and Back.