U.S. Department of Justice Seizes Over $400 Million in Assets Related to Mixer Helix

Odaily News The U.S. Department of Justice announced that it has formally obtained legal ownership of over $400 million in assets related to the darknet money laundering platform Helix, including cryptocurrency, real estate, and cash assets. On January 21, District of Columbia District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell signed the final forfeiture order.

Helix, operated by Larry Dean Harmon, processed approximately 354,468 Bitcoin transactions between 2014 and 2017, valued at $300 million at the time, primarily serving the money laundering needs of darknet drug dealers. Harmon pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in August 2021 and was sentenced to 36 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and asset forfeiture in November 2024.