DOJ Seizes $400M From Helix Mixer, Operator Sentenced to 36 Months
The Department of Justice announced the seizure of about $400 million linked to Helix, a darknet crypto mixing service, and has completed the forfeiture process following the conviction of operator Larry Dean Harmon. Harmon was sentenced to 36 months in prison, closing one of the largest single financial recoveries tied to alleged cryptocurrency money laundering.
The action highlights intensified U.S. enforcement targeting infrastructure that facilitates illicit darknet activity and laundering. For users and businesses in the crypto ecosystem, the case increases legal and compliance scrutiny on mixing services and may push exchanges and custodians to strengthen screening and reporting. Prosecutors say the forfeiture sets a precedent for converting seized digital assets into government-held proceeds of crime, reinforcing the risk profile for operators of anonymizing services.