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Shiny_Flakes the Teenage Drug Lord” is the name of the new documentary by Eva Müller. This freshly released movie is bound to become a massive hit. It is based on the true story of a German teen whose real name is Maximilian Schmidt. However, he is better known on a global scale thanks to his Shiny Flakes alias. Previously, Netflix has already launched a drama series called “How to Sell Drugs Online Fast” — but that was a fictionalized version of Shiny Flakes the teenage drug lord. Now, it’s time to watch a film about real-life events.

Who Is Shiny Flakes?

This guy was doing shady business from his childhood bedroom. He packed up the drugs right from the home that he shared with his mother. His ShinyFlakes.com website existed for 14 months and enabled the young entrepreneur to make serious money — 4.1 million euros, to be precise. In February 2015, the German police arrested the juvenile drug lord. He was just 19 years old.

How Did Shiny Flakes Sell Drugs Online?

The Shiny Flakes drug empire operated very differently from an average online store on the dark web. In his own words, Schmidt wanted the process of purchasing drugs to be just as quick and simple as buying shoes online.

Using his online connections, he established a collaboration with a reliable supplier. The shop’s assortment included cocaine, meth, LSD, marijuana, prescription drugs and many other items. Consumers would add the desired items to their carts in a couple of clicks, just as in a regular online store. They paid upfront with Bitcoin and received their orders through the traditional postal service. The drugs would arrive at your doorstep faster than Amazon Prime orders.

It took this business only a couple of months to properly take off.

Two Mistakes That the Drug Lord Made

When developing his business, Schmid hit a few bumps. For instance, he kept visiting the same postage station for his deliveries, located not far from his house and in view of CCTV cameras.

Plus, once he put an incorrect address on one of the packages. When the parcel was returned, it was opened and drugs were found inside.

These occasional blunders made it easier for the police to identify the offender.

The Fateful Interview to Vice

In 2014, Shiny Flakes the teenage drug lord gave an interview to Vice magazine. He was reckless enough to confirm that he lived in Germany. He boasted he was selling an “exclusive selection of pills” from his childhood bedroom. Also, he confessed that he relied on the statistical analysis of consumers and their purchasing habits to maximize sales.

This interview gave clear hints to law enforcement agencies on where to look for the young criminal.

What Happened After the Police Arrested Maximilian Schmidt?

Law enforcement officers logged into Schmidt’s computer that he used to sell drugs online. They got hold of a database with thousands of customers and opened more than 4,000 criminal proceedings. Maximilian underwent hundreds of trials as a witness for those who had allegedly bought drugs from his site.

The court treated Schmidt as a minor because of his “emotional immaturity”. He got a seven year sentence and was sent to a juvenile prison. However, he was released from prison in June 2019 after serving just over half of these seven years.

What Happened to His Drug Empire After His Arrest?

Maximilian Schmidt claims he doesn’t have a single cent of the $4.1-million-euro fortune. No one knows whether it’s true or not. Reportedly, the police have not been able to access two Bitcoin wallets that belonged to the offender.

The Netflix Series

The first installment of the “How to Sell Drugs Online Fast” Netflix series saw light in 2019. It consists of three episodes, the last of which was released in summer 2021. Two best teenage friends, Moritz Zimmermann (Maximilian Mundt) and Lenny Sander (Danilo Kamperidis), try their hand at selling drugs to impress Moritz’s ex-girlfriend. That’s not a documentary but a fictionalized version of Schmidt’s story.

The Documentary

Director Eva Müller thought it might be interesting to show a bigger picture and created the “Shiny_Flakes the Teenage Drug Lord” documentary. The 96-minutes-long film was first streamed on Netflix in the United States on August 3, 2021. This version is based on real facts. You can see and listen to Maximilian Schmidt himself speaking about his business.

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The Appeal of the Main Protagonist

The baby faced drug lord used to be unpopular at school — but he found a way to improve his social status. The young man has no remorse for what he did. At first, he might seem like a romantic figure, a teen idol. The beginning of his success story might impress thousands of lonely, antisocial teenagers. But in the end, who would like to find themselves behind the bars?

What’s Going On with the Teenage Drug Lord Right Now?

The final moments of the documentary show the arrest of several individuals in August 2020 in relation to a drugs bust in Leipzig. Maximilian Schmidt aka Shiny Flakes was one of them. By 2021, he was placed under a fresh investigation for a new alleged offense. Soon, he might face another prison sentence — yet until the end of the trial, he is presumed innocent.

Final Thoughts

“Shiny_Flakes the Teenage Drug Lord” is an informative and exciting movie. It brilliantly showcases the potential of digital technologies and the risks connected with running illegal businesses. Hopefully, the true story of a teenage drug lord won’t inspire other young people to follow his suit.