Would-Be Bitcoin Creator Must Fork Over $4 Billion to Ex-Partner
- Craig Wright found by judge to have lied, forged documents
- Kleiman estate entitled to Bitcoins mined before his death
Craig Wright, center, arrives at federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, on June 28.
Photographer: Saul Martinez/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The man who claims to have invented Bitcoin a decade ago submitted false documents and lied in a legal dispute with the estate of his former partner, a judge ruled, adding that Craig Wright has to surrender more than $4 billion of the cryptocurrency.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart in West Palm Beach, Florida, ruled Monday that the late Dave Kleiman owned half of all Bitcoins that Craig mined through 2013, and half of all intellectual property he created, according to a court transcript. That would give title to more than 410,000 Bitcoins to Kleiman’s estate. One Bitcoin was worth $10,162 Tuesday.