Bitcoin.org's Anon Operator Denied Anonymity in Legal Battle Against Craig Wright
A London High Court Judge has upheld a ruling that the Bitcoin.org operators, including the pseudonymous Cøbra, must reveal their identities or face substantial legal fees in the legal action brought by self-proclaimed Bitcoin (BTC) inventor Craig Wright.
In April 2021, Wright served legal papers on Cøbra, claiming copyright to the Bitcoin white paper and database.
Wright, an Australian computer scientist who has long asserted that he is the pseudonymous author Satoshi Nakamoto, argued that he owned the copyright to the Bitcoin whitepaper.
After Cøbra failed to appear in court, a judge ordered the Bitcoin.org website to remove the whitepaper.
When Cøbra later attempted to challenge Wright's request for £568,516.42 ($704,500) in legal fees, a London High Court Judge ruled that the psedonomous user would have to disclose their identity to contest the costs.
Cøbra appealed this ruling, but on Monday, London High Court Justice Richard Smith dismissed the appeal.
Justice Smith stated that while there are legitimate reasons for parties to seek anonymity, such as threats to personal safety, Cøbra's reasons for anonymity appeared "not only unworkable but also risked undermining the very principles of natural justice."
Cøbra sought to remain anonymous not only to the public but also to the court and the claimant, Wright.
Within the crypto community, pseudonymous figures, including prominent community members, developers, and influencers, are common.
Legal representatives for Wright have stated that they are awaiting an order on the next steps, including whether Cøbra will be required to pay the full legal fees.
Wright continues to pursue multiple lawsuits worldwide related to the Bitcoin whitepaper.
In 2022, he sued cryptocurrency
Read more on cryptonews.com
