Claims of Craig Wright and David Kleiman partnering to create Bitcoin were strongly refuted by a Florida jury — much to the detriment of Kleiman’s family, who filed a civil lawsuit alleging that the two formed a business partnership to launch Bitcoin.
According to the family, Wright and Kleiman formed the W&K Information Defense Research, which was used to create and launch Bitcoin thirteen years ago — under the guise of “Satoshi Nakamoto” pseudonym.
The lawsuit alleges that after Kleiman’s death in 2013, Wright denied his involvement. So, the suit sought compensation totaling billions, and to arm-twist Wright to sell some of the business fortunes (in Bitcoin) assumed to be held by Nakamoto.
Had Kleiman’s family won the lawsuit, Wright (who claims to be Bitcoin’s creator) would have had to prove whether he was involved in his death.
The jury dismisses ten claims
Nine out of ten claims against Wright — an Australian living in the UK — were dismissed by the Florida jury, including breach and misappropriation of partnership duties, fraud, and unjust enrichment.
The remaining complaint, which the plaintiff won, argued that Wright converted bitcoins (belonging to the partnership) for his personal use. On that single account, the jury awarded Kleiman’s estate $100 million.
Speaking to journalists outside the courthouse, Wright hailed the Jury’s decision stating he felt “completely vindicated”.
The case was not about the short-lived business partnership, but the cryptocurrency’s creation — which Wright takes credit for under the pseudonym “Satoshi Nakamoto”.
Is Wright indeed Satoshi Nakamoto?
The jury’s verdict makes it unlikely for the mystery surrounding Bitcoin’s creator’s true identity to be unraveled anytime soon.
Kyle Roche and Vel Freedman, Kleiman’s family lawyers, said they immensely appreciated the $100 million award, saying it proves that “Craig Wright wrongfully took Bitcoin-related assets from a W&K”.
Judging from the verdict, Wright will never come out to prove his claims that he is indeed Satoshi Nakamoto. And if his claims were true, he’d never sell any of the purported 1,000,000 bitcoins believed to be mined by Nakamoto in 2009.
Currently, one million bitcoins are worth $50 billion. Only the real Nakamoto can prove ownership of the bitcoins — and by doing so, easily unmask his true identity.
Wright only claims ownership of the bitcoins but has never moved or sold them in any market. However, his lawyers stated that he will prove ownership of the bitcoins after the trial — and then direct them to “charitable use”.
