Elderly Woman Sues Pastor for Stealing $80,000 in Bitcoin Through Private Keys
• An elderly woman is suing a pastor from her church for stealing her bitcoin through the use of her private keys.
• The pastor had held the bitcoin for the woman until she requested for it to be returned in July 2020.
• The woman received a Trezor device with a seed phrase card, and opened it to discover that all of her bitcoin had been removed.
The Cobos Law Firm in Houston, Texas is currently handling a case involving an elderly woman who is suing a young pastor from her church. The pastor had encouraged the woman to invest in bitcoin, and the two entered into an oral agreement in 2017 that the woman would transfer $80,000 to him, and he would use her money to buy and store bitcoin for her.
In July 2020, the woman requested that the bitcoin be returned, and the pastor sent her a Trezor hardware wallet containing 7.742 bitcoin and a seed phrase card that the pastor had filled out. However, when the woman opened the Trezor device, she discovered that all of her bitcoin had been removed and transferred to a separate wallet that the pastor controlled. Attorney Andrew J. Cobos of the Cobos Law Firm is representing the elderly woman in the case, and trial is set for Spring 2023 in Harris County, Texas.
Cobos has alleged that the pastor maintained a copy of the seed phrase card and recreated the wallet after giving her the Trezor, and thereafter transferred all of the bitcoin to a separate wallet that he controlled. The elderly woman contacted the police after discovering that all of her bitcoin had been stolen, and the pastor is now facing serious legal consequences. If found guilty, the pastor could be liable for a large sum of money, depending on the current market value of the bitcoin.
This case is yet another reminder of the importance of security when it comes to investing in cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. It is essential to store all passwords and private keys securely, and to be wary of people who may try to take advantage of individuals who are new to the cryptocurrency space and not familiar with the risks. With the right precautions, investors can minimize the chances of falling victim to scams and other malicious activities.
