The US just swallowed a $400M crypto ghost.
By Maxime Laurent · 2026-01-30 10:28
The US just swallowed a $400M crypto ghost.
Old darknet crimes, modern consequences: Helix is finally buried.
The US Department of Justice wrapped up a massive forfeiture: over $400M in crypto, real estate, and accounts tied to Helix, a mixer that laundered funds between 2014 and 2017.
Back then, Helix processed at least 354,468 $BTC — about $300M at the time. Today? Different scale, different gravity. Time doesn’t erase blockchains; it just waits.
The operator, Larry Harmon, pled guilty to money laundering and was sentenced in November 2024 to 3 years in prison, with full asset confiscation. No escape hatch, no mixer strong enough to wash this clean.
What hits me isn’t the number — it’s the delay. Crypto remembers. Authorities learn slowly, then act decisively. Neutral rails don’t mean neutral outcomes.
This isn’t about killing crypto. It’s about ending the myth that the past disappears. It doesn’t. It settles. Tranquille, but final.
#crypto #BTC #regulation #lawenforcement #darknet #CryptoFriture
Old darknet crimes, modern consequences: Helix is finally buried.
The US Department of Justice wrapped up a massive forfeiture: over $400M in crypto, real estate, and accounts tied to Helix, a mixer that laundered funds between 2014 and 2017.
Back then, Helix processed at least 354,468 $BTC — about $300M at the time. Today? Different scale, different gravity. Time doesn’t erase blockchains; it just waits.
The operator, Larry Harmon, pled guilty to money laundering and was sentenced in November 2024 to 3 years in prison, with full asset confiscation. No escape hatch, no mixer strong enough to wash this clean.
What hits me isn’t the number — it’s the delay. Crypto remembers. Authorities learn slowly, then act decisively. Neutral rails don’t mean neutral outcomes.
This isn’t about killing crypto. It’s about ending the myth that the past disappears. It doesn’t. It settles. Tranquille, but final.
#crypto #BTC #regulation #lawenforcement #darknet #CryptoFriture
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and not financial advice.