Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00722
Documentation absent — exchange custody (2019)
BlockedCase description
An ICO project that had raised 1,500 BTC in 2017 published its first—and only—financial report in March 2019 before collapsing. The report showed funds 'allocated to development' but contained no receipts, invoices, or contractor records. Independent analysis showed the BTC had been moved to known exchange deposit addresses immediately after the ICO closed.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Documentation absent |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2019 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
Nobody had written down how to get back in. That knowledge existed only in the owner's head. 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 documentation absent
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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