U.S. Department of Justice Seizes Over $4 Billion in Assets Related to Mixer Helix

Odaily News According to the U.S. Department of Justice, it has officially obtained legal ownership of over $4 billion in assets related to the darknet money laundering platform Helix, including cryptocurrency, real estate, and cash assets. On January 21, Judge Beryl A. Howell of the District Court for the District of Columbia 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 in November 2024 to 36 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and asset forfeiture.