The U.S. Department of Justice has finalized the forfeiture of more than $400 million in cryptocurrency and related assets linked to Helix, a Bitcoin mixing service that operated during the early years of the darknet economy. A final court order issued on January 21 by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia transferred full legal ownership of the seized assets to the federal government, formally closing the case.
The forfeiture stems from Helix’s operations between 2014 and 2017 when the service was used to obscure the origin and destination of Bitcoin tied to illicit darknet marketplaces. Authorities seized cryptocurrency, real estate, and financial assets connected to the platform and its operator, Larry Harmon.
Helix Bitcoin Mixer and Darknet Activity
According to court records, Helix processed at least 354,468 Bitcoin during its operation, valued at roughly $300 million at the time. Investigators determined that a significant portion of those funds originated from darknet drug markets seeking to launder proceeds. Helix’s infrastructure allowed direct integration with marketplace withdrawal systems, enabling high-volume transactions.
Harmon also ran Grams, a search engine that supported multiple darknet marketplaces, further linking the operation to large-scale illicit activity.
Harmon was arrested in 2020 and pleaded guilty in 2021 to conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was sentenced in November 2024 to three years in prison, with the forfeiture order finalized years later, highlighting the long timelines involved in major crypto enforcement cases.
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