The U.S. Department of Justice finalized the seizure of more than $400 million in cryptocurrencies and other assets linked to Helix, a Bitcoin mixing service that operated between 2014 and 2017.
An order issued on January 21 by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia transferred legal title of the assets to the U.S. government, formally closing the case.
The seized assets include cryptocurrencies, real estate, and financial accounts associated with Helix’s operations. The service was operated by Larry Dean Harmon and processed at least 354,468 BTC during its activity, equivalent to roughly $300 million at market prices at the time.
The DOJ linked a significant portion of those funds to darknet markets involved in drug trafficking and other illicit activities. Helix provided an API that allowed those marketplaces to integrate the mixer directly into their withdrawal systems, enabling large-scale money laundering. Harmon also operated Grams, a search engine used to access darknet platforms.
Harmon was arrested in February 2020 and pleaded guilty in August 2021 to conspiracy to commit money laundering. In November 2024, he was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to forfeit more than $400 million, with the forfeiture formally completed this week following the final court order.
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