Originally published on: November 15, 2024
Larry Harmon, the operator behind the Helix cryptocurrency mixer, has been sentenced to three years in prison after being arrested in 2020 for assisting criminals in money laundering activities. Despite facing up to 20 years in prison, District of Columbia District Court Judge Beryl Howell showed leniency towards Harmon due to his cooperation in the Bitcoin Fog mixer case.
Harmon, who was fined $60 million by the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, assisted prosecutors in the case against Bitcoin Fog operator Roman Sterlingov, who received a 12.5-year prison sentence.
Having shut down Helix two years prior to his arrest, Harmon expressed remorse during his sentencing. He was also ordered to forfeit assets totaling over $400 million, including cash, cryptocurrencies, and real estate.
Accused of helping to move over 350,000 Bitcoin through Helix, Harmon’s crimes were described as “staggering” by prosecutor Alden Pelker. Despite initially arguing that Bitcoin was not money, Harmon eventually pleaded guilty to money laundering charges after his arrest.
In a related incident, Harmon’s younger brother, Gary Harmon, used Larry Harmon’s passwords to transfer a significant amount of Bitcoin to his own wallet. Gary Harmon was later arrested and sentenced to four years in prison for wire fraud and obstruction of justice.
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