Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00749
Hidden wallet discovered — software wallet (2020)
ConstrainedCase description
A November 2020 estate case involved a recently deceased Bitcoin holder who had told family members about their holdings every year but never written anything down. The family found four phones, two laptops, and a Ledger device. No passwords, PINs, or seed phrases were documented anywhere. Three wallets were eventually recovered using guessed PINs. The fourth has never been accessed.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Documentation absent |
| Custody system | Mobile or software wallet |
| Outcome | Constrained |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2020 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
There was no documentation of how access worked. Without it, there was no path back in. Whether full access was ultimately possible is unclear, but significant delay or outside intervention was involved.
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible, but only with delay, dependence, or significant difficulty.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
Forum post
Related cases involving documentation absent
167 cases involve documentation absent
569 cases involve mobile or software wallet
View archive statistics →
This archive documents observed custody survivability failures. It does not attempt to document all Bitcoin losses or security incidents.
Submit a case
← All cases
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.
Translate