99.9% of people that find phones do not know how to do that. Implausible at best.
He was in the restaurant to do a Bitcoin deal. So the guy at the same table as him likely knew how to do it.
I think that's where I'd start my investigation if I was him.
I'm not invested in JD but this seems ridiculous to me, that he would even ask for a refund. Like someone else brought up with the casino situation... I can't go to a casino, claim I accidentally left my wallet sitting at one of the slots and when I went back it had $5,000 less so I want a refund. They will tell me to get lost because it's my fault.