<blockquote>
  <p>Would the primary/main owner of the Private Key be able to figure out what has happened to his/her money .  </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Yes, the wallet would show a transaction that spent/moved the coins</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>find the real name of the person who stole it? </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Most likely not, unless using some kind of tracing service (Chainalysis, CipherTrace, Coinfirm)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Can the primary owner open a legal action against this?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Assuming you find out who did it and you can prove it, and your jurisdiction supports such legal actions, then yes.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>What's the best course of action for the primary owner to do if this happened to get their money back to find the person who stole their money?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Ask the internet for help, do some analysis yourself (using public facing tools), hire a company specializing in this type of work.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-21T20:09:56.787Z
2019-11-21T20:09:56.787Z
Albert S
<p>Thanks for your great content. I've got a question regarding Bitcoin Private Key.
If a hacker stole a Private Key and took possession of the coins by entering the Private Key into his own preferred wallet, then sent the coins to his own Bitcoin wallet or sold it via an online exchange"
1. Would the primary/main owner of the Private Key be able to figure out what has happened to his/her money and/or find the real name of the person who stole it?
2. Can the primary owner open a legal action against this?
3. What's the best course of action for the primary owner to do if this happened to get their money back to find the person who stole their money?
Thanks.</p>

<private-key><legal>
Bitcoin Private Key question
Jerry
# Bitcoin Private Key question

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-11-21)

Thanks for your great content. I've got a question regarding Bitcoin Private Key.
If a hacker stole a Private Key and took possession of the coins by entering the Private Key into his own preferred wallet, then sent the coins to his own Bitcoin wallet or sold it via an online exchange"
1. Would the primary/main owner of the Private Key be able to figure out what has happened to his/her money and/or find the real name of the person who stole it?
2. Can the primary owner open a legal action against this?
3. What's the best course of action for the primary owner to do if this happened to get their money back to find the person who stole their money?
Thanks.

**Tags:** private-key, legal


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-11-21. Score: 2

> Would the primary/main owner of the Private Key be able to figure out what has happened to his/her money .

Yes, the wallet would show a transaction that spent/moved the coins

> find the real name of the person who stole it?

Most likely not, unless using some kind of tracing service (Chainalysis, CipherTrace, Coinfirm)

> Can the primary owner open a legal action against this?

Assuming you find out who did it and you can prove it, and your jurisdiction supports such legal actions, then yes.

> What's the best course of action for the primary owner to do if this happened to get their money back to find the person who stole their money?

Ask the internet for help, do some analysis yourself (using public facing tools), hire a company specializing in this type of work.


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