Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01167
The deceased had used a complex PIN that family members did not know.
BlockedCase description
A mobile wallet user inherited a phone from a deceased relative in 2023. The phone contained a running Bitcoin wallet app with a visible balance, but the phone's screen lock prevented access. The deceased had used a complex PIN that family members did not know. The phone manufacturer refused to bypass the lock without a court order. A forensics firm was engaged; the device wiped itself after too many failed PIN attempts, destroying the locally stored wallet data. Without the seed phrase, the Bitcoin was permanently inaccessible.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Seed phrase unavailable |
| Custody system | Mobile or software wallet |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2023 |
| Country | International |
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
Privately Reported
Evidence type
News article
Related cases involving seed phrase unavailable
146 cases involve seed phrase unavailable
572 cases involve mobile or software wallet
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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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