Can a [nand] error be related to a sim card problem?

About a month ago, my iphone 5 randomly restarted and rebooted with a [nand] error. After researching I assumed that the error was related to a camera flex cable. However, I decided I would just use my backup phone. I bought an iphone 5s online, and took the sim card from my 5 and put it into the 5s. Turns out the 5s could not be activated because it was stolen, so I submitted a return. While the sim card was still out of the phone, I recently picked up the phone and turned it on. It booted fine and was working perfectly while not connecting to my sim card. I thought maybe the phone would work now, so I factory restored the phone, and connected to the sim immediately after restoring. As soon as I connected to the sim, the phone started the [nand] error again. After a night of trying to get the phone restored, it wouldnt connect to itunes and I gave up. This morning I removed the sim, connected it to itunes, and factory restored again. I set up the phone with no sim in it and it seems to be working fine with no [nand] errors. I am extremely confused because none of the forums I read online remotely suggested a sim card being related to a nand error, however mine seems to be somehow connected, Is this possible, or am I just crazy?