In a landmark ruling, Judge James Mellor has unequivocally stated that Craig Wright, the controversial figure who has long claimed to be Bitcoin's creator Satoshi Nakamoto, lied "extensively and repeatedly" in his testimony. This revelation came in the written judgment released on Monday in the case of the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) versus Wright.

Judge Mellor's judgment was scathing, concluding that Wright's claims to be Satoshi Nakamoto were entirely fabricated. "Dr. Wright is not the person who adopted or operated under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto in the period 2008 to 2011. He is not the person who created the Bitcoin System, nor is he the author of the initial versions of the Bitcoin software," Mellor declared. This conclusion follows a March decision where Mellor determined Wright had not authored Bitcoin's foundational white paper.

COPA, an organization dedicated to protecting the adoption of cryptocurrency and supported by industry heavyweights like Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and crypto exchange Coinbase, initiated the lawsuit in 2021. The trial began on February 5, with COPA accusing Wright of forgery and perjury.

The judgment highlighted the severity of Wright's deceit. "I am entirely satisfied that Dr. Wright lied to the Court extensively and repeatedly," Mellor wrote. "Most of his lies related to the documents he had forged which purported to support his claim." This fraudulent behavior led COPA to seek various injunctions to prevent Wright from continuing to assert his false identity as Nakamoto and from launching further legal actions against Bitcoin developers.

Wright's false claims have been a longstanding issue within the crypto community, causing significant distress and legal turmoil. Judge Mellor's decision marks a significant victory for COPA and the broader crypto industry, which has long been skeptical of Wright's assertions.

Following the judgment, Wright expressed his disappointment on social media, stating, "I want to thank those of you who sent me messages of support yesterday. I await the written judgment at which point I will consider my options for appeal."

The issue of injunctive relief—a legal measure to prevent Wright from making further false claims—will be addressed in a forthcoming Form of Order hearing. Additionally, COPA has indicated it may request UK prosecutors to consider perjury charges against Wright for his false statements during the trial.

This ruling is not the first time Wright's claims have been legally scrutinized. Judge Mellor noted that Wright's attempts to prove he was Nakamoto constituted a serious abuse of the court's process, a sentiment echoed in other jurisdictions, including Norway, where Wright engaged in a protracted legal battle with Norwegian bitcoiner Hodlonaut.

In response to the ongoing legal challenges, Judge Mellor imposed a worldwide freezing order on Wright's assets worth £6 million ($7.6 million) in March, ensuring he could not move them offshore or evade costs from the COPA trial. At that time, COPA's costs for the case were reported to be £6.7 million.

This decisive judgment underscores the importance of integrity and truthfulness in the legal process, particularly in cases with significant implications for emerging technologies and industries.