Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00783
The letters threatened home invasion unless 0.2 BTC was paid to a specific address.
BlockedCase description
Following the Ledger data breach publication in December 2020, a wave of physical threatening letters was sent to addresses in the leaked Ledger customer database. The letters threatened home invasion unless 0.2 BTC was paid to a specific address. Multiple recipients reported paying the initial demand, fearing the threats were credible given their address was publicly available.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Physical coercion |
| Custody system | Mobile or software wallet |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2020 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
There was only one way in. When that path was gone, so was access. Access was not recoverable.
Outcome interpretation
Access was not possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
News article
Related cases involving physical coercion
105 cases involve physical coercion
572 cases involve mobile or software wallet
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This archive documents observed custody survivability failures. It does not attempt to document all Bitcoin losses or security incidents.
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Framework references
Where Bitcoin Custody Intersects Legal and Fiduciary Authority
Where custody creates gaps in estate planning, fiduciary duty, and professional responsibility.
Professional Scope Boundary Matrix
What each professional or product covers, what they do not, and where gaps form between them.
The Independent Assessment Layer in Bitcoin Custody
How independent diagnostic layers emerge when multiple parties depend on shared infrastructure.