Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00274
Device lost — software wallet (2015)
BlockedCase description
A mobile-first Bitcoin user who kept their primary wallet on an iPhone had the phone seized by police during an unrelated arrest in February 2015. The phone was held as evidence for six months. The wallet had no seed backup. By the time the phone was returned, the operating system had been wiped by the forensics lab.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Device loss |
| Custody system | Mobile or software wallet |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2015 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
Before anyone could access the funds, a legal process had to be completed first. Access was not recoverable.
Outcome interpretation
Access was not possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
Forum post
Evidence link
Related cases involving device loss
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.
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