Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00556
Device lost — software wallet (2018)
BlockedCase description
A user whose Bitcoin wallet existed only on a work laptop had the machine confiscated by their employer during a disciplinary proceeding in November 2018. The employer refused to return the laptop pending an investigation. The user had no seed backup. By the time the laptop was returned three months later, the wallet had been wiped as part of the company's standard device reset.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Device loss |
| Custody system | Mobile or software wallet |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2018 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
The wallet existed only on that device. When the device became inaccessible, there was no other way back in. 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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