US regulator confiscates $ 400 million worth of cryptocurrency from Helix crypto mixer

The US Department of Justice has announced the completion of the confiscation of assets worth more than $ 400 million related to the activities of the Helix crypto mixer. The court decision granted the state ownership of the seized cryptocurrencies, real estate and financial accounts used to launder funds from illegal darknet marketplaces. This is one of the largest confiscations related to cryptocurrency mixing services.

According to the investigation, in 2014−2017, Helix processed at least 354,468 bitcoins, which were then estimated at about $ 300 million. The service was actively promoted among users seeking anonymity, including sellers and buyers of illegal online markets. Its operator, Larry Dean Harmon, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy in 2021 and was sentenced to three years in prison in November 2024.

The US Department of Justice emphasized that all confiscated assets are directly related to illegal financial activities through Helix. The case comes amid growing regulatory scrutiny of privacy-oriented cryptocurrency instruments. In December, President Donald Trump announced that he was considering a pardon for Samourai Wallet co-founder Kionn Rodriguez, who was convicted of money laundering, and the trial against Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm is also underway.

The problem of cryptocurrency crime is getting worse. According to Chainalysis, in 2025, illegal crypto addresses received a record $ 154 billion, which is significantly more than a year earlier. Separately, U.S. prosecutors have indicted 23-year-old Brooklyn resident Ronald Spector, who is suspected of stealing about $ 16 million from about 100 Coinbase users through phishing and social engineering.