A UK-based man has accused his estranged wife of stealing more than 2,323 Bitcoin from his Trezor hardware wallet, allegedly by using a hidden security camera to capture his seed phrase and access credentials.
Summary
Ping Fai Yuen claims that 2,323 Bitcoin were taken after his wife, Fun Yung Li, along with her sister, secretly recorded him to obtain his wallet’s seed phrase.
The funds were later moved across 71 different wallet addresses, with no activity recorded since December 21, 2023. Authorities have since arrested the accused and seized related devices.
A UK High Court judge has indicated that the claimant has a strong likelihood of winning the case.
According to a judgment filed in the UK High Court of Justice, Yuen alleges that his wife and her sister used surveillance equipment to secretly film him, enabling them to access his cryptocurrency holdings. The Bitcoin was then transferred to multiple wallet addresses.
Yuen reportedly became suspicious after being alerted by his daughter. He then installed audio recording devices, which he claims captured conversations discussing the alleged theft and plans to move the funds.
Court records state that no further transactions have been made from the wallets since late December 2023. Following Yuen’s complaint, police arrested his wife and seized several cold wallets along with luxury watches as part of the investigation.
Last year, Yuen filed a legal application seeking to freeze all crypto assets linked to his wife, officially establish his ownership of the Bitcoin, and secure either the return of the funds or compensation equal to their value in fiat currency. He also expressed concerns about a possible crypto dusting attack—where small amounts of cryptocurrency are sent to wallets to track and identify high-value holders.
The presiding judge noted that Yuen appears to have a strong case, emphasizing that the defendant failed to provide any alternative explanation for the movement of the Bitcoin. The judge also pointed out that the evidence, including transcripts and seized equipment allegedly used in the operation, strengthens the claimant’s position.
Additionally, the court has suggested an expedited trial due to the security risks and price volatility associated with Bitcoin. If both parties cannot agree on the next steps, a case management hearing will be scheduled.
