The U.S. Department of Justice has finalized the forfeiture of more than $400 million in cryptocurrency, real estate, and cash linked to Larry Dean Harmon, the Ohio-based operator of the Helix Bitcoin (BTC) mixer that processed over 354,000 BTC for darknet markets between 2014 and 2017.
What Happened: Forfeiture Finalized
Judge Beryl A. Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued the final forfeiture order on Jan. 21, 2026, officially transferring the assets to the government. The ruling concludes years of litigation against Harmon, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in August 2021.
Court filings show Helix processed approximately 354,468 Bitcoin, valued at roughly $300 million at the time, for users seeking to anonymize transactions.
The platform integrated directly with major darknet markets through its API, earning commissions on withdrawals.
Harmon, who also created the darknet search engine Grams, was sentenced in November 2024 to 36 months in prison. He received three years of supervised release in addition to the monetary forfeiture judgment.
Also Read: Russia-Linked Activity Fuels Five-Year High In Illicit Crypto
Why It Matters: Shifting Enforcement Landscape
The Helix case represents one of the largest cryptocurrency forfeitures tied to mixer operations, yet it arrives as federal enforcement priorities appear to be shifting.
The Justice Department recently announced it would no longer pursue criminal cases against crypto exchanges, developers, or users for regulatory violations.
This followed the disbanding of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, the specialized unit that investigated crypto-related criminal activity.
In a related legal challenge, blockchain entrepreneur Michael Lewellen, a fellow at Coin Center, filed suit last year arguing that software developers creating non-custodial privacy tools are being unfairly targeted under money transmission laws.
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