拉里·哈蒙 (Larry Harmon) 因透過 Helix 洗錢價值 3 億美元的比特幣而被判處三年監禁

俄亥俄州居民拉里·哈蒙 (Larry Harmon) 因透過暗網服務 Helix 洗錢價值超過 3 億美元的比特幣而被判處三年監禁

An Ohio resident has been sentenced to three years in prison for laundering over $300 million in Bitcoin through his darknet service, Helix, according to Bloomberg.

根據彭博社報道，一名俄亥俄州居民因透過其暗網服務 Helix 洗錢超過 3 億美元的比特幣而被判處三年監禁。

The platform operated a tool designed to obscure the origins of cryptocurrency transactions, enabling users, primarily criminals, to move funds undetected, according to the U.S. Justice Department

據美國司法部稱，該平台運行的工具旨在掩蓋加密貨幣交易的起源，使用戶（主要是犯罪分子）能夠在不被發現的情況下轉移資金

The service was active from 2014 to 2017, during which Harmon partnered with major darknet marketplaces like AlphaBay to process illegal transactions involving drug sales, stolen data, and counterfeit goods.

該服務於 2014 年至 2017 年期間活躍，在此期間 Harmon 與 AlphaBay 等主要暗網市場合作，處理涉及毒品銷售、被盜數據和假冒商品的非法交易。

Unlicensed money-transmitting

未經許可的匯款

Harmon pleaded guilty in 2021 to operating Helix as an unlicensed money-transmitting business and conspiring to launder funds. By mixing over 350,000 Bitcoin (BTC), prosecutors said he facilitated illicit activity on a global scale. 

哈蒙於 2021 年承認將 Helix 經營為無證匯款業務並共謀洗錢。檢察官稱，他混合了超過 35 萬枚比特幣 (BTC)，為全球的非法活動提供了便利。

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell also ordered Harmon to forfeit $311 million, the value of the Bitcoin laundered through Helix. Previously, Harmon had been fined $60 million by the U.S. Treasury for violating anti-money laundering regulations.

美國地區法官 Beryl Howell 也命令 Harmon 沒收 3.11 億美元，即透過 Helix 洗錢的比特幣價值。此前，哈蒙曾因違反反洗錢規定被美國財政部罰款6,000萬美元。

Darknet mixers like Helix appeal to criminals seeking to exploit the pseudonymous nature of cryptocurrencies. While Bitcoin transactions are recorded on a public ledger, mixers obscure their origins by breaking the link between sender and recipient, complicating law enforcement efforts to trace illicit activities.

像 Helix 這樣的暗網混合器對試圖利用加密貨幣的假名性質的犯罪分子有吸引力。雖然比特幣交易記錄在公共分類帳上，但混合者透過破壞發送者和接收者之間的聯繫來掩蓋其來源，使追蹤非法活動的執法工作變得複雜。

Harmon’s cooperation in other prosecutions, including the conviction of Roman Sterlingov, operator of the Bitcoin Fog mixing service, led to a reduced sentence. Prosecutors highlighted Harmon’s extensive assistance and expressed confidence that his case would deter similar operations​

哈蒙在其他起訴中的配合，包括對比特幣霧混合服務運營商羅曼·斯特林戈夫（Roman Sterlingov）的定罪，導致了減刑。檢察官強調了哈蒙的廣泛協助，並表示相信他的案件將阻止類似的行動

However, the fallout extended beyond Larry Harmon. After his arrest in 2020, authorities discovered his brother, Gary Harmon, used stolen credentials to recover Bitcoin stored in an IRS evidence locker, per Bloomberg. 

然而，影響超出了拉里·哈蒙的範圍。據彭博社報道，在 2020 年被捕後，當局發現他的兄弟加里·哈蒙 (Gary Harmon) 使用被盜的憑證取回了存放在國稅局證據櫃中的比特幣。

Gary was later sentenced to four years in prison for accessing and spending part of the seized cryptocurrency on luxury items.

加里後來因取得並使用部分扣押的加密貨幣購買奢侈品而被判處四年監禁。