More than two weeks after the Bitcoin exchange Bitfloor closed its virtual doors, many customers are still waiting to get their money back. One tally of 78 Bitfloor users on reddit found that Bitfloor owed them $267,000. The number might be much higher once all users are accounted for.

In an e-mailed statement, Bitfloor's legal counsel blamed the delay on a dispute with the firm's bank. And Bitfloor said it has enough funds deposited with the bank to "cover all of its customers' U.S. dollar credits on account."

Last month's Bitfloor shutdown ended a difficult year for the Bitcoin exchange, which had been the fourth most popular forum for trading Bitcoins for dollars. Hackers allegedly stole $250,000 from the exchange in September 2012. Bitfloor founder Roman Shtylman re-opened the exchange later that month in an ultimately unsuccessful effort to earn back the lost cash. Now some users are wondering if they'll lose even more.

"I'm fully aware of how risky purchasing and holding Bitcoin is," one Bitfloor user based on the West Coast told us by e-mail. The user opened a Bitfloor account earlier this year because of recommendations from other Bitcoin users. Our correspondent, who asked to remain anonymous, hoped the exchange's US location would make it easier to get legal recourse in case anything went wrong. The largest Bitcoin exchange, Mt. Gox, is based in Japan. Another popular exchange, Bitstamp, is based in Europe.

"In April, I decided to sell some of my bitcoins. So I sent my coins to my accounts at MtGox and Bitfloor and sold the coins for USD," the Bitfloor user told us.

Both exchanges require users to submit identity verification documents before dollars can be withdrawn. Our correspondent submitted documentation to both sites in mid-April. But a few days later, Bitfloor announced it was closing its doors "indefinitely."

"I am sorry to announce that due to circumstances outside of our control Bitfloor must cease all trading operations indefinitely," Shtylman wrote on the Bitfloor website on April 17. "Unfortunately, our US bank account is scheduled to be closed and we can no longer provide the same level of USD deposits and withdrawals as we have in the past."

Bitfloor users panicked, rushing to convert their dollar holdings into Bitcoins (which were easier to withdraw). In the final minutes before trading was halted, the price of Bitcoins on Bitfloor spiked by about 10 percent relative to the value on other exchanges. Our source chose to hold onto dollars, trusting Shtylman's assurances that dollar-denominated funds were kept in FDIC-insured accounts.

Our correspondent's verification documents were approved a few days later. But a request to withdraw funds initiated about two weeks ago is still marked "pending." The user has several thousand dollars deposited with Bitfloor.

"Very little information has been provided since the 17th, and no information regarding how Bitfloor intends to make good on its promise to return funds," our correspondent told us. Bitfloor hasn't been responding to the individual's e-mails or tweets.

"The way that Roman has been handling this issue is very unprofessional," another user, who is out about $500, told us by e-mail. The user submitted verification documents on April 17, the day Bitfloor announced it was shutting down, but these documents have yet to be approved by Bitfloor.

"How this situation is being handled the way it is, is completely insane to me," an individual user who reportedly lost $32,000 wrote on reddit. "I get that his bank put him in a bad place, however, it's his behavior that is keeping him there. I don't want to get involved in a long, obnoxious lawsuit. It would be expensive and stressful and would definitely hurt public confidence in Bitcoin. However this sum of money is absolutely worth getting into one."

"I think Roman will be looking at a class action lawsuit if he doesn't get his act together," another user responded. "If that happens, please add my name to the list."

Reached by e-mail, Bitfloor legal counsel John Snyder repeated Shtylman's claim that the firm's bank was to blame.

"Bitfloor shares its customers' frustration with its bank's delay in providing access to funds currently in Bitfloor's account," Snyder told us. "Bitfloor has engaged legal counsel to assist in this matter. Through counsel, Bitfloor is in active dialogue with its bank and is taking all reasonable steps to facilitate the return of funds, consistent with Bitfloor's legal obligations."

"Bitfloor regrets this delay, thanks its customers for their patience to date, and appeals to its customers to continue to be patient as Bitfloor works diligently to resolve this situation."

Disclosure: I own some bitcoins, though thankfully they aren't held by Bitfloor.

Update: After this story went live, Snyder provided us with additional information. In an email statement he said that "the bank has not told us why it has delayed making available Bitfloor's U.S. dollar funds, but we are hopeful that this issue will be resolved soon. Bitfloor has sufficient U.S. dollar funds in its accounts to cover all of its customers' U.S. dollar credits on account." We've added this information to the second paragraph of the story above.