Handled 350,000 Bitcoins over 3 years! U.S. Department of Justice seizes mixer Helix with over $400 million in cryptocurrency

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has officially completed a large-scale cryptocurrency seizure operation targeting the mixing service Helix, which played a key role in laundering on the dark web. The U.S. government has lawfully obtained final ownership of assets exceeding $400 million.

The DOJ issued a statement on Thursday stating that a final forfeiture order was issued by the court last week, confirming that the government can lawfully receive and dispose of previously seized cryptocurrencies, real estate, and financial account assets. These assets are closely related to Helix’s operations and money laundering activities.

Investigations show that between 2014 and 2017, Helix handled at least 354,468 bitcoins. The platform’s primary users were individuals attempting to conceal the origins of illegal funds, including transactions from dark web black markets.

The so-called “cryptocurrency mixers” or “mixing services” refer to tools that obscure the flow of funds by blending multiple cryptocurrency transactions. They are often used to enhance privacy but have also become hotbeds for money laundering and illegal fund transfers.

Larry Dean Harmon, the mastermind behind Helix, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in August 2021. After years of litigation, he was sentenced to 3 years in prison in November 2024 and will be subject to supervised release after serving his sentence.

With the Helix case settled, the legal classification and regulatory boundaries of mixing tools have once again become a focal point in Washington policy debates.

In December last year, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly stated that he was evaluating whether to pardon Keonne Rodriguez, co-founder of Samourai Wallet, who was convicted of money laundering and operating a money transfer business without a license, and was sentenced to 5 years in prison last November.

On the other hand, the legal case of Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm has also attracted significant attention. He was convicted last year for involvement in money laundering and violating sanctions regulations and is currently awaiting sentencing, with a maximum possible sentence of 5 years.