A UK judge has imposed a worldwide freezing order on £6 million ($7.6 million) of assets belonging to Craig Wright. The decision, made by Judge James Mellor, aims to prevent Wright from transferring funds offshore and escaping the costs associated with a recent court case.
Earlier this month, Judge Mellor ruled against Wright in a case brought by the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA), determining that Wright was not Satoshi Nakamoto. In addition to rejecting Wright's claim to the Bitcoin creator title, the judge found that Wright did not author the seminal Bitcoin white paper nor the initial versions of the Bitcoin software.
The March 14 decision has since led to a series of financial precautions. Following the ruling, Wright informed Companies House, the UK's official company registry, that shares in his company, RCJBR Holding, had been transferred to DeMorgan, a Singapore-based entity.
The judgment, which was published on the Bitcoin Legal Defense Fund's website, revealed that COPA's legal costs amounted to approximately £6.7 million. The judge's written statement expressed concern over Wright's share transfer, suggesting it might be an attempt to evade the financial repercussions of the trial's outcome.
"Understandably, that gave rise to serious concerns on COPA’s part that Dr. Wright was implementing measures to seek to evade the costs consequences of his loss at trial," Judge Mellor stated in his judgment. He further emphasized the risk of asset dissipation, noting Wright's history of failing to comply with monetary orders, "Dr. Wright has a history of default in relation to orders for the payment of money," and that "COPA has a very powerful claim to be awarded a very substantial sum in costs... I consider there is a very real risk of dissipation."
Originally reported by CoinDesk
