A U.S. court in Florida has declined a request from W&K Info Defense, which won over $100 million in damages from Craig Wright in December 2021, to criminally sanction Wright for not correctly filling out a financial disclosure statement but has allowed some civil sanctions to proceed.
At the center of the case is Wright’s compliance with a Compulsion Order that required him to complete a financial disclosure form by April 3, 2023. The form is a crucial step in judgment collection, necessitating a detailed account of the debtor’s financial situation.
“At oral argument, Dr. Wright’s counsel conceded that the March 30 version of the Form omitted required information,” the document reads. “That version of the Form did not include (among other things) his employer’s address, any information about his spouse, and information about whether he had bank accounts.”
“He does not contend that he lacked the ability to comply with the Compulsion Order,” the document continues.
W&K Info Defense also challenged the lack of disclosure about property in Wright’s native Australia, as well as bitcoin holdings.
“Wright…appears to be generating income from selling bitcoin,” the firm argues.
In the filing, Wright contends that it does not require him to disclose bitcoin held on-chain, which the Presiding Judge Bruce Reinhart agrees.
The court also denied W&K Info Defense’s request that a restraining order be placed on Wright’s assets, a $250,000 per day penalty, and attorney fees. However, Judge Reinhart gave the green light to “remedial civil contempt proceedings.”
