Helix Operator Pleads Guilty for Laundering $300 Million in Bitcoin

Thursday, 19/08/2021 | 08:02 GMT by Arnab Shome
  • The darknet Bitcoin mixer service operated between 2014 to 2017.
Helix Operator Pleads Guilty for Laundering $300 Million in Bitcoin
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The operator of darknet Bitcoin mixer Helix has pleaded guilty in a United States court for money laundering conspiracy charges brought against him. Through Helix, he moved over 350,000 Bitcoins valued at around $300 million at the time of transactions.

According to the Department of Justice’s official announcement on Wednesday, Larry Dean Harmon admitted that he operated Helix from 2014 to 2017, which functioned as a Bitcoin mixture. It allowed criminals to hide the transaction history of Bitcoins obtained with illegal means.

He admitted Helix’s partnership with several darknet markets, including AlphaBay, Evolution and Cloud 9, for Bitcoin money-laundering services. Additionally, he conspired with dark market vendors and administrators to launder Bitcoins obtained through illegal drug trafficking.

“Harmon admitted that he conspired with Darknet vendors to launder bitcoin generated through drug trafficking and other illegal activities,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

Harmon now has to forfeit more than 4,400 Bitcoins, worth over $200 million, and other seized properties, which were involved in running his Bitcoin laundering business.

Two Decades in Prison

He is now looking at a maximum prison time of 20 years, along with a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the illegal transactions. However, the date of his sentencing has not been scheduled yet.

Apart from the DoJ case against Harmon that was first filed in February, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) imposed a separate $60 million civil penalty on him for the violations of the Banking Secrecy Act with Helix operations.

Furthermore, the US prosecutors collaborated with authorities in Belize to build the case against Hermon.

“Today’s guilty plea demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to infiltrate and shut down the cryptocurrency money-laundering networks that support cyber-criminal enterprises,” D’Antuono added.

The operator of darknet Bitcoin mixer Helix has pleaded guilty in a United States court for money laundering conspiracy charges brought against him. Through Helix, he moved over 350,000 Bitcoins valued at around $300 million at the time of transactions.

According to the Department of Justice’s official announcement on Wednesday, Larry Dean Harmon admitted that he operated Helix from 2014 to 2017, which functioned as a Bitcoin mixture. It allowed criminals to hide the transaction history of Bitcoins obtained with illegal means.

He admitted Helix’s partnership with several darknet markets, including AlphaBay, Evolution and Cloud 9, for Bitcoin money-laundering services. Additionally, he conspired with dark market vendors and administrators to launder Bitcoins obtained through illegal drug trafficking.

“Harmon admitted that he conspired with Darknet vendors to launder bitcoin generated through drug trafficking and other illegal activities,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

Harmon now has to forfeit more than 4,400 Bitcoins, worth over $200 million, and other seized properties, which were involved in running his Bitcoin laundering business.

Two Decades in Prison

He is now looking at a maximum prison time of 20 years, along with a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the illegal transactions. However, the date of his sentencing has not been scheduled yet.

Apart from the DoJ case against Harmon that was first filed in February, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) imposed a separate $60 million civil penalty on him for the violations of the Banking Secrecy Act with Helix operations.

Furthermore, the US prosecutors collaborated with authorities in Belize to build the case against Hermon.

“Today’s guilty plea demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to infiltrate and shut down the cryptocurrency money-laundering networks that support cyber-criminal enterprises,” D’Antuono added.

About the Author: Arnab Shome
Arnab Shome
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About the Author: Arnab Shome
Arnab is an electronics engineer-turned-financial editor. He entered the industry covering the cryptocurrency market for Finance Magnates and later expanded his reach to forex as well. He is passionate about the changing regulatory landscape on financial markets and keenly follows the disruptions in the industry with new-age technologies.
  • 6613 Articles
  • 97 Followers

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