A man in the U.K. has accused his wife of stealing $172 million in Bitcoin by secretly recording his hardware wallet seed phrase with CCTV. The case involves 2,323 BTC allegedly moved to multiple addresses in late 2023, with the claimant presenting audio and video evidence of his wife discussing the theft.
Police seized cold wallets and arrested the wife, later releasing her on bail pending further evidence. In 2025, the husband sought an injunction to freeze the assets and formally declare ownership. Justice Cotter described the evidence as “damning,” noting the claimant had a strong chance of success and stressing the urgency of an early trial due to the volatility and security risks tied to Bitcoin holdings.
This case serves as a stark reminder in the crypto even if you hold millions in digital assets, trust must be guarded carefully, sometimes even from your own family.