Craig Wright, who claims to be the father of bitcoin, denies having tampered with emails

The 53-year-old computer scientist was questioned for the last time in his trial on Friday, the latter continuing to claim that he is the inventor of bitcoin.

So-called spoofed email address or even supposed spy microphones: Australian businessman Craig Wright, who claims to have invented bitcoin, denied Friday that he had tampered with emails in order to prove his claims, during of his ongoing trial in London. “Dr. Wright, you falsified an email during the trial to support a dishonest narrative,” said Jonathan Hough, attorney for the industry organization that filed the complaint. The Crypto Open Patent Alliance (Copa), which aims to eliminate patents on technologies related to cryptocurrencies, accuses Craig Wright of having fabricated evidence to demonstrate that he invented bitcoin in 2008.

The 53-year-old computer scientist and entrepreneur was being questioned for the final time in his trial on Friday about electronic communications that were intended to be shared in Britain’s High Court, among the evidence his team gave at trial. On the Copa side, an expert in digital forensics, Patrick Madden, reaffirmed that the incriminating emails had been backdated.

“It’s simply ridiculous,” defended Craig Wright on the stand, confronted with these accusations, looking somewhat alarmed, and diving into complex explanations. He claims in particular that the sending email address would have usurped his. A third party allegedly obtained the contents of the original email, which Craig Wright says is real, tampered with its sending time, then forwarded the real-fake email to his lawyers, in order to “sow seeds of doubt” on the veracity of the evidence.

100 persons

“More than a hundred people I can name have access to my emails,” insisted the Australian businessman, who assures that several law firms, external analysts and various companies have a copy of his files. It was also allegedly hacked by former employees.

Not failing to bring a smile to Judge James Mellor, who is presiding over the trial, Craig Wright concluded his testimony by arguing that the possible usurper could also have installed spy microphones or had access to cameras in his home.

After a break this week, the two sides are scheduled to share their final arguments over four days starting the following week until March 15.