Larry Dean Harmon, founder of the Helix cryptocurrency mixing service and CEO of Coin Ninja, was fined $ 60 million at the request of the Financial Crime Combating Network (FinCEN). ASSESSMENT OF CIVIL MONEY PENALTY by ForkLog on Scribd.
According to the investigation, Harmon laundered more than $ 300 million through the darknet markets of Abraxas, Agora, Hansa, Hydra and Wall Street Market.
FinCEN prosecutors also claim that the suspect was a partner of the now defunct marketplace AlphaBay, through which he allegedly laundered $ 27 million in bitcoins. Harmon's family has denied Larry's relationship with AlphaBay.
The Larry Dean Harmon case sets a precedent in US law, as the DOJ first called cryptocurrency mixing a crime. This classification poses potential problems for any similar service.
We will remind, Harmon was arrested in February on suspicion of money laundering and running an unlicensed money transfer service. He faces up to 30 years in prison.
As part of the consideration of the Harmon case, the court recognized bitcoin as money.