Did their accounts end up permanently banned or could they recover them? Seems like something that could actually be abused if not. A weaponized banned Google account on a laptop. A laptop with cooties. The seven generations punishment.
How could they recover them? The only support Google offers for situations like this is write a sob story on social media, and hope it gets enough traction that a Google employee intervenes.
I even have Google-anxiety and am considering moving everything away before it becomes too late