A computer scientist says he’s the mystery creator of bitcoin. A London judge aims to find the truth

By BRIAN MELLEY
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — An Australian computer scientist who says he’s the mystery creator behind bitcoin has testified in a London court about the cryptocurrency’s origins. Craig Wright said Tuesday that he used the pseudonym “Satoshi Nakamoto” to protect his privacy and not to remain anonymous. A nonprofit group of tech and crypto companies is trying to prove that he’s a fraud. The Crypto Open Patent Alliance says that Wright has used his claims to the bitcoin intellectual property to sue and threaten developers from further developing the digital currency. Wright’s lawyer says that the real Satoshi Nakamoto would have come forward if he wasn’t the creator. The trial started on Monday and is expected to last a month before a judge rules at a later date.