Satoshi-era Bitcoin wallet moves 15 BTC after 14 years, complicating $285 billion lawsuit

A Bitcoin wallet, dormant for 14 years, has moved 15 BTC, complicating a $285 billion lawsuit. The wallet is one of 39,069 targeted by a plaintiff named "Noah Doe," who claims the dormant funds are abandoned property under New York law. The movement on June 2, 2026, demonstrates the owner retains control, undermining the lawsuit's central claim.

Satoshi-era wallet movement

• ▪On June 2, 2026, a separate, unrelated dormant wallet (1CDSyXAQxro4FPUoqAQb81642ruqDsUiNp) also moved 20 BTC
• ▪The wallet retained 20.55 BTC as change from an original holding of 35.55 BTC
• ▪A Bitcoin wallet (1LwWtSs7tMCwcRczQd5kVMv3xpWw6w4Sxe), dormant since March 27, 2011, moved 15 BTC on June 2, 2026

Noah Doe abandonment lawsuit

• ▪Hundreds of wallets moved coins during the initial notice campaign and were consequently excluded from the final list of defendants in the lawsuit
• ▪The movement of funds from the wallet is seen as evidence that the coins were not abandoned, complicating the plaintiff's case
• ▪The recently active wallet (1LwWt...) is identified as Defendant No. 38215 in a lawsuit filed in New York
• ▪The plaintiff in the lawsuit is a pseudonymous individual, along with two Wyoming LLCs named ABC Company and XYZ Company
• ▪The lawsuit, filed on March 11, 2026, by a plaintiff known as "Noah Doe," seeks ownership of approximately 3.8 million BTC, valued at $285 billion
• ▪The lawsuit targets 39,069 dormant Bitcoin wallets, claiming them as abandoned property under New York Personal Property Law Article 7-B

On-chain legal service via OP_RETURN

• ▪Defendant wallet 1LwWt... was served a notice on July 31, 2025, with a 90-day response window that expired on November 5, 2025
• ▪Legal notice was delivered to the defendant wallets using Bitcoin's OP_RETURN function, which embeds data into transactions
• ▪The on-chain notices were broadcast in June and July 2025 by the plaintiff's consultant, Salomon Brothers Strategic Advisors

Bitcoin market context

• ▪The original coins in wallet 1LwWt... were received on March 27, 2011, when Bitcoin's price was less than one dollar
• ▪"Satoshi-era" coins were acquired before Bitcoin had a meaningful dollar price, meaning any sale at current levels would mark a near-infinite gain