A major federal enforcement action reached its final stage. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, a federal prosecutorial body, obtained legal title on Jan. 29, 2026, to more than $400 million in assets connected to the Helix darknet cryptocurrency mixing service.

The announcement states:

“Last week, the government obtained legal title over more than $400 million in seized cryptocurrencies, real estate, and monetary assets tied to the operation of the darknet mixing service, Helix.”

“The assets were previously seized from Larry Dean Harmon, the operator of the Helix mixing service, which processed transactions involving over $300 million worth of cryptocurrency from 2014 to 2017,” it further explains. The forfeiture followed a Jan. 21 order from U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell of the District Court for the District of Columbia, which finalized the government’s ownership of the assets after settlement with a mortgage holder tied to one of Harmon’s properties.

Read more: Feds Returning Seized Crypto to Victims After Crackdown Sparks New Shift

Court documents detail that Helix operated between 2014 and 2017 as one of the most heavily used cryptocurrency mixing services on the darknet, blending user funds to conceal their sources, destinations, and owners. The platform processed approximately 354,468 bitcoin, valued at more than $300 million at the time of the transactions, with a significant share linked to darknet drug marketplaces. Harmon also ran Grams, a darknet search engine, and designed both services to connect with major darknet markets through an application programming interface that allowed direct integration into bitcoin withdrawal systems.

Investigators traced tens of millions of dollars from illicit markets to Helix, with Harmon retaining commissions as operating fees. The investigation was conducted by the IRS Criminal Investigation Cyber Crimes Unit and the FBI Washington Field Office, with assistance from international partners, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and multiple Justice Department offices. Harmon pleaded guilty in August 2021 to conspiracy to commit money laundering and was later sentenced to 36 months in prison, supervised release, and forfeiture penalties, highlighting continued enforcement pressure on illicit crypto-related services.

• What assets did the U.S. government seize from Helix?
  The forfeiture included more than $400 million in cryptocurrencies, real estate, and monetary assets tied to Helix.
• How much cryptocurrency did Helix process?
  Helix processed about 354,468 bitcoin worth over $300 million between 2014 and 2017.
• Who operated the Helix mixing service?
  Helix was operated by Larry Dean Harmon, who later pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy.
• Which agencies led the Helix investigation?
  The probe was led by IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI with support from FinCEN and international partners.

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