Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00024
Owner death — software wallet (2013)
BlockedCase description
A 2013 Bitcoin holder who died after Ulbricht's arrest had been an active Silk Road vendor. Their estate included a substantial Bitcoin balance across several wallets. The deceased had not included wallet access instructions in their will, and family members who were unaware of the Silk Road connection had no way to locate or access the relevant keys.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Owner death |
| Custody system | Mobile or software wallet |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2013 |
| Country | United States |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
There was only one way in. When that path was gone, so was access. Access was not recoverable.
Outcome interpretation
Access was not possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
Forum post
Related cases involving owner death
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