Apple Legal closed IP case, App Review Board terminated account for same issue one week later, earned proceeds frozen

I am posting this because I have exhausted every internal channel over the past month and have not received substantive answers to basic questions about the release of my earned proceeds.

Timeline:

July 2026 — An IP complaint was filed against my app. Apple opened an investigation.

July 29, 2026 — I voluntarily removed the app from sale in all 175 territories before Apple asked me to. I also changed the app name, icon, tagline, screenshots, and website.

August 4, 2026 — Apple's App Store Notices team closed the matter, writing: "We trust this resolves your concerns and consider this matter closed at this time."

August 11, 2026 — I received a Pending Termination Notice citing Section 3.2(f) for the same issue that was closed one week earlier.

August 12, 2026 — A member of Apple's App Store Notices team confirmed by email: "Our team did not initiate any action against your account."

August 13, 2026 — App Review Board rejected my appeal.

The team that investigated the matter for a month closed it as resolved. A different team terminated my account for the same issue seven days later. I have documented correspondence from both teams confirming these facts.

Regarding earned proceeds:

App Store Connect currently shows approximately $43,000 USD and €857 EUR in earned proceeds marked as "Balance Carried Forward." These are from completed transactions by real customers who purchased subscriptions and received the service they paid for. The refund rate was low and no chargebacks were filed.

I have contacted iTunes Finance, Developer Support, and Apple Executive Relations. iTunes Finance stated on August 28 that the account is under review for "irregular activity" but has not responded to three separate requests asking what documentation is needed to complete that review.

My questions for the community and any Apple representatives:

  1. Has anyone experienced a situation where Apple Legal closed an IP matter and then App Review terminated the account for the same issue?

  2. What is the standard process and timeline for the release of earned proceeds after account termination? Apple's agreement (Schedule 2, Section 7.1) provides for a temporary hold period to cover refunds and chargebacks, but does not appear to authorize indefinite retention.

  3. Has anyone successfully received their earned proceeds after termination, and how long did it take?

  4. Is there a specific team within Apple that handles the release of earned proceeds separately from the account termination decision?

I have submitted multiple appeals through the App Review Board form, Developer Support has filed an appeal on my behalf, and I have submitted a detailed improvement plan with specific compliance commitments. I have also offered to provide full identity verification and to convert to an Organization account.

I am not asking the community to take sides on the termination itself. I am asking for practical information about the proceeds release process, because Apple's internal teams have not provided it despite repeated requests over the past month.

Apple ID: 6777752146 Team ID: XJR63P2754

Apple Legal closed IP case, App Review Board terminated account for same issue one week later, earned proceeds frozen
 
 
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