Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00211
Institutional lockout — exchange custody (2015)
SurvivesCase description
The US Department of Justice obtained a civil asset forfeiture order in April 2015 against Bitcoin held in wallets associated with a structured-finance fraud case. Several individuals who had received legitimate payments traced to those wallets (two or more hops removed) found their exchange accounts flagged and suspended pending investigations.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Vendor lockout |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2015 |
| Country | United States |
Structural dependencies observed
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
News article
Evidence link
Related cases involving vendor lockout
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