The United States government has gained the title to the Ohio mansion of a cryptocurrency CEO who was convicted of helping online drug dealers cover their financial tracks.
Larry Dean Harmon, the former chief of darknet bitcoin mixing service Helix, was recently freed from prison on an early release program after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in August 2021.
On Jan. 21, following a government settlement with a mortgage holder, a federal judge entered a final order of forfeiture on Harmon’s mansion in Akron, OH, declaring the property forfeited to the government.
In addition to the home, the government seized more than $325,000 in cash from various
accounts connected to Harmon as well as 4,500 bitcoins, worth about $355 million at current prices.
“This case demonstrates that those who think the darknet provides a safe harbor for crime are dead wrong,” Jeanine Pirro, U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, said in a statement. “My office, the Department of Justice, and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold criminals accountable—whether they act in broad daylight or hide behind a computer screen.”
Property records show that Harmon and his wife purchased the five-bedroom Akron home in 2016 for $680,000. Automated valuation models estimate the home’s current value at anywhere from $780,000 to $950,000.
The 4,099 square-foot home, built in 1990, sits on a 1.21-acre lot in an upscale suburb northwest of Akron, with floor-to-ceiling windows in the great room offering woodland views.
Amenities include two fireplaces, a backyard fire pit, and a sunken whirlpool tub in the primary bathroom.
A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office for the District of Columbia says that the Akron home will be sold at auction by the Internal Revenue Service.
“The timeline from forfeiture to auction is agency-dependent and can take several months,” the spokesperson said.
Larry Harmon’s legal saga with Helix
Harmon was arrested by the FBI and IRS in February 2020, with authorities alleging he was the owner and operator of Helix and a related darknet marketplace search engine called Grams.
Prosecutors say that Helix was one of the most popular “mixing” services on the darknet and was highly sought after by online drug dealers who used it to launder their illicit proceeds.
Bitcoin mixers use a flurry of transactions to obscure the source and destination of crypto funds, which are typically tracked in an online ledger.
The government says that Helix processed bitcoin transactions worth more than $310 million on behalf of customers, with many of those funds moving in and out of darknet drug markets.
Following his arrest, Harmon agreed to cooperate with the government and has said that he used his expertise to help investigators build tools to trace other illegal darknet schemes.
After lengthy sentencing delays, Harmon was sentenced to three years in prison in November 2024.
According to Harmon’s online prison diary, he was granted early release in December 2025 after completing a drug rehabilitation program behind bars.
“I do have to check in once a week and wear an ankle monitor, but honestly, life is very good right now,” he wrote following his release. “After everything I’ve been through, those are small prices to pay.”
Harmon has said he plans to devote himself to resurrecting his legitimate crypto business, Coin Ninja, which is focused on providing educational tools about bitcoin.
Following the loss of his Akron mansion, he is in the process of securing more modest accommodations.
“On top of everything else, I’ve been finishing up a basement apartment I’ve been building,” he wrote. “It’s going to be really nice when it’s done, even if the waiting on contractors every day is testing my patience. Still, it feels symbolic—starting something new in a fresh space.”