Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00527
A Bitcoin investor suffered a stroke in February 2018 that caused partial aphasia.
SurvivesCase description
A Bitcoin investor suffered a stroke in February 2018 that caused partial aphasia. They retained cognitive understanding of their holdings but could not reliably type or speak the passphrase to their exchange account. The exchange required telephone verification which was impossible. An attorney worked for six weeks to obtain court-authorised third-party access.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Owner incapacity |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2018 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
Forum post
Related cases involving owner incapacity
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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