The drama surrounding Craig Wright and his claim over the Bitcoin whitepaper isn’t new to crypto proponents. However, this time, he has decided to up the ante by enforcing ownership.
Since its release in 2008, ownership has proved difficult to verify. This is because its creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, chose to maintain a pseudonymous identity upon the document’s release.
A recent letter from Ontier attornies reveals Dr. Wright’s copyright claim over the Bitcoin whitepaper. Ontier has ordered the operator of the website www.bitcoin.org, known as @CobraBitcoin on Twitter, to remove the document.
Ontier claims that @CobraBitcoin “wrongfully controlled” the website and should relinquish it on the premise of copyright infringement.
Wright argues that his right of ownership on Bitcoin technology, the Bitcoin name, and everything associated with it is being violated.
Dr. Wright gave an ultimatum of 14 days to receive a response, adding that failure to do so would force him to claim an injunction, compensation for past infringement, and other cost implications.
The letter was also sent to five different entities, all of which also reportedly owned websites hosting the whitepaper. Among those parties are bitcoin.org, bitcoin.com, and bitcoincore.org
Could There Be an Ulterior Motive?
Beyond the need to protect intellectual property, it’s possible that Wright may have other motives in mind.
Foul play may be suspected as these platforms have become targets of Wright. However, they do not have any affiliation with Satoshi Nakamoto, who is the product’s creator.
The websites have built a certain level of credibility by identifying themselves with the Bitcoin brand. Wright intends to latch on to this weak spot by claiming proprietary ownership.
Previous Bitcoin Saga from Craig Wright
This is not the first time Wright has laid claims to creating anything associated with Bitcoin. In 2016 he identified himself as Satoshi Nakamoto.
The BBC report claims he provided technical proof to support the assertion. He did this by signing a cryptographic key that was linked to the Bitcoin genesis block.
The key, the British news outlet claims, was also used during the early stages of Bitcoin’s development. To further support his case, he supposedly uses coins linked to Satoshi’s wallet.
Wright’s claim has not gone down well with the crypto community. Many have accused him as a “hoaxer.” This has, however, not deterred him from staking a claim to the hacked Mt.Gox funds.
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