Anonymous Plaintiff Seeks Legal Title To $293 Billion In Dormant Bitcoin, Without Holding Any Private Keys

A pseudonymous claimant, “Noah Doe,” and two Wyoming LLCs filed a New York Supreme Court action seeking a declaration of ownership over 39,069 dormant Bitcoin addresses holding about 3.8 million BTC. The filing, amended in May 2026, relies on New York Personal Property Law Article 7-B, which allows a finder who reports lost property, makes reasonable efforts to locate the owner, and receives no response within a set period to obtain legal title. The complaint asserts that dormant Bitcoin addresses qualify as “lost property,” that USB drives containing address data delivered to the NYPD satisfy deposit requirements, and that title vested on December 26, 2025, March 31, 2026, and April 14, 2026. The claim faces challenges because the statute was written for physical objects and the claimant never held private keys, while Bitcoin addresses remain accessible to original keyholders.

"A pseudonymous individual calling himself “Noah Doe,” along with two Wyoming LLCs, has filed suit in New York Supreme Court seeking a court declaration that they are the legal owners of 39,069 dormant Bitcoin addresses holding roughly 3.8 million BTC - worth an estimated $293 billion at current prices."

"The legal vehicle is New York Personal Property Law Article 7-B, a statute designed for tangible lost objects - a wallet found on a sidewalk, say, or jewelry left in a cab. The law says a finder who reports lost property to police, makes reasonable efforts to locate the owner, and receives no response within a set period can eventually take legal title to the item."

"Noah Doe's complaint argues that dormant Bitcoin addresses are “lost property” under that framework, that his USB drives of address data delivered to the NYPD 17th Precinct satisfy the deposit requirement, and that title to all 39,069 addresses vested in him across three dates: December 26, 2025, March 31, 2026, and April 14, 2026."

"A Bitcoin address, unlike a lost wallet, remains fully accessible to its original owner regardless of whether someone else has identified it - the coins do not move unless the true keyholder signs a transaction. The statute has never been applied to cryptocurrency. Article 7-B was written for physical objects that a finder picks up and hands to authorities."

Read at Bitcoin Magazine