Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00849
Documentation absent — exchange custody (2020)
BlockedCase description
A Bitcoin fund manager who had operated informally since 2016 disappeared in February 2020, taking client BTC with them. The fund had operated entirely through personal agreements without legal documentation. Clients had no written contracts, no account statements, and no on-chain proof of their holdings. Police opened an investigation but the operator had relocated to a non-extradition jurisdiction.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Documentation absent |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2020 |
| 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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