Maximilian Schmidt Shiny Flakes: Real Story Behind Netflix Documentary

Maximilian Schmidt built drug empire “Shiny Flakes” from his bedroom using Bitcoin. Arrested in 2015, Maximilian Schmidt shiny flakes ran another operation from prison, earning 4.5 more years. Netflix documented his story.

Who Is Maximilian Schmidt And The Shiny Flakes Empire

Who is Maximilian Schmidt? He is a German man who, as a teenager starting at age 18 in 2013, single-handedly ran one of Germany’s largest online drug empires from his childhood bedroom. Operating under the online alias “Shiny Flakes,” Maximilian Schmidt built a veritable dark web marketplace that would eventually process millions in cryptocurrency payments. His family was totally unaware of the criminal enterprise operating under their roof.

“At the very beginning I was nervous about it,” Maximilian Schmidt says in the Netflix documentary, remembering he would do something and fear that “boom, the police will come.” Despite this initial nervousness, Schmidt’s operation grew rapidly into a highly professional business. Payments were made in advance, orders processed and shipped—“except instead of shoes, it was drugs,” Schmidt explained. He essentially ran his own kind of Amazon for almost all drugs, according to defense attorney Stefan Costabel in the documentary.

For over a year, Maximilian Schmidt shiny flakes sold more than 900 kilograms of hash, cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, and prescription drugs, according to media reports. Over the course of 14 months, he sold an estimated 100,000 tons of various drugs through the postal system. The young man shipped these by mail around the world, effectively using mailmen as his unsuspecting couriers.

Schmidt even operated customer rating systems, one of which he reads aloud in the film: “Two of my teeth fell out right away, this stuff really f***s you up.” Seemingly satisfied, Schmidt grins, looking quite pleased with himself. The legally appointed psychologist who evaluated him stated: “I experienced neither regret nor guilt, but pride instead.” This lack of remorse would characterize Maximilian Schmidt throughout his criminal career.

The Arrest And Bitcoin Fortune

Several undeliverable drug packages eventually led investigators to Maximilian Schmidt. He made two critical mistakes: an incorrect address on one package, which resulted in it being returned and eventually opened by the postal service, and sending all packages from the same post office that had camera coverage. These operational security failures proved fatal for his empire.

In February 2015, police arrested Maximilian Schmidt, who was 20 at the time, in the Schmidt family’s apartment in Leipzig, seizing 320 kilograms of drugs worth several million euros. Besides the seized drugs, police recovered some of the Bitcoin Schmidt had received as payment, but they apparently couldn’t access two of his BTC wallets containing significant funds.

How much money did Maximilian Schmidt make? According to Netflix documentary, Maximilian Schmidt shiny flakes sold approximately 4.1 million euros worth of drugs worldwide. However, the Maximilian Schmidt net worth from his operation remains partially unknown due to inaccessible Bitcoin wallets. Given Bitcoin’s subsequent price appreciation from 2015 levels, the locked wallets potentially contain cryptocurrency worth tens of millions today if he retained access.

Police also found a database on his computer containing thousands of customers, leading to opening of 4,000 criminal cases. Maximilian Schmidt would ultimately be called as witness in hundreds of subsequent trials, providing testimony that led to prosecutions across Germany.

Maximilian Schmidt Arrest Details

Date: February 2015 in Leipzig

Age: 20 years old at arrest

Drugs Seized: 320 kilograms worth several million euros

Bitcoin Recovered: Partial recovery; two wallets remained inaccessible

Customer Database: Thousands of customers, triggering 4,000 criminal cases

Initial Sentence: Seven years in juvenile detention

Maximilian Schmidt confessed and was sentenced to seven years in juvenile detention. However, he was released in 2019 after serving only two years—a fraction of his original sentence.

Candylove: Running Drug Empire From Prison

What happened to Maximilian Schmidt after release? While serving his sentence for Shiny Flakes, he was filmed for the Netflix documentary “Shiny_Flakes: The Teenage Drug Lord,” which was released in August 2021. During filming and while still incarcerated, Schmidt ran another online drugstore called Candylove, demonstrating brazen disregard for his situation.

The investigation revealed that Maximilian Schmidt ran Candylove while still in prison for Shiny Flakes, and while he was being filmed for the Netflix documentary. This audacity shocked law enforcement and documentary crew alike. At the end of the documentary, it was revealed that Schmidt, who had been out of prison for two years by then, was being investigated for a drug bust in Leipzig.

According to prosecution, he acted as ringleader while four accomplices carried out approximately 500 drug shipments. Schmidt claimed in his defense that he was simply the programmer of this second enterprise, attempting to minimize his role. However, evidence showed his central coordination of the operation.

His trial on these new charges took place in spring and he was ultimately found guilty and sentenced in May to an additional 4.5 years in prison. The Maximilian Schmidt sentence demonstrates that his brief taste of freedom didn’t reform him—instead, he returned to criminal activities almost immediately upon release and even continued operating while incarcerated.

He has been described by several people as someone who shows no signs of remorse. Director Eva Müller noted her crew was aware that Maximilian Schmidt was someone who didn’t hesitate before committing serious crimes. The psychologist’s assessment during his trial noted pride rather than guilt, a disturbing psychological profile for someone causing substantial harm through drug distribution.

The Netflix Documentary And Cultural Impact

German director Eva Müller accompanied Maximilian Schmidt for several years creating the documentary. Her team painstakingly rebuilt his childhood bedroom down to exact same furniture and bed linens he used to have. She had him reenact scenes, chat with make-believe suppliers, pack pink pills that were in reality candy in baggies.

The documentary was filmed over 42 shooting days in Leipzig, Leverkusen, and Berlin. The btf Shiny-Flakes team recreated Schmidt’s nursery in studio at 1:1 scale. For the film, Maximilian Schmidt returns to scene of crime and shows how he succeeded in selling tons of drugs to the world from this room undetected for over a year.

A further special feature is the computer vault visualization. The btf graphic and visual effects team reconstructed the crime based on case files and interviews with all parties involved, showing Schmidt’s technical operations, cryptocurrency transactions, and dark web marketplace management.

Müller interviewed Schmidt, his defense attorney, the prison director, the public prosecutor, and Schmidt’s psychological expert for balanced perspective. She said the film’s purpose was answering: How does a young person, who has never been criminally conspicuous, turn into a criminal sitting in front of his computer at home?

“I think we have been successful in showing an online crime in an exciting, entertaining and enlightening manner,” Müller stated. The documentary sparked international interest, raising questions about dark web commerce, cryptocurrency’s role in criminal enterprises, and how teenagers can operate sophisticated criminal operations from their bedrooms.

The Maximilian Schmidt wikipedia entry and related searches spiked following Netflix release, making him one of most searched cybercriminals globally. The documentary inspired the Netflix series “How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast),” which dramatized similar scenarios, bringing even broader attention to his case.

Where Is Maximilian Schmidt Now?

Where is Maximilian Schmidt? He is currently serving his second prison sentence of 4.5 years imposed in May for the Candylove operation. This sentence runs consecutively with any remaining time from his original seven-year sentence, though exact release date hasn’t been publicly disclosed.

Given his pattern of returning to criminal activity—operating Candylove both during and after his first imprisonment—authorities will likely monitor Maximilian Schmidt closely upon future release. His complete lack of remorse, as documented by psychological assessments and his own statements, suggests high recidivism risk.

The inaccessible Bitcoin wallets remain a compelling subplot. If Maximilian Schmidt retained access to those wallets and Bitcoin appreciated from 2015 prices, he could possess substantial cryptocurrency wealth upon release. However, German authorities continue efforts to locate and seize these assets as proceeds of crime.

His case raises broader questions about dark web commerce, cryptocurrency’s role in facilitating crime, and whether young cybercriminals can be reformed. The Maximilian Schmidt story serves as cautionary tale about how technical skills combined with lack of moral compass can create devastating combinations.

FAQ

Who is Maximilian Schmidt?

Maximilian Schmidt is a German man who, as teenager starting at age 18, ran one of Germany’s largest online drug empires called “Shiny Flakes” from his childhood bedroom, selling over 900 kilograms of drugs through dark web using Bitcoin payments.

How much money did Maximilian Schmidt make?

Maximilian Schmidt shiny flakes operation sold approximately 4.1 million euros worth of drugs. However, Maximilian Schmidt net worth from inaccessible Bitcoin wallets remains unknown and could be worth tens of millions today given Bitcoin’s price appreciation since 2015.

What happened to Maximilian Schmidt?

Arrested in February 2015, Maximilian Schmidt was sentenced to seven years but released after two years in 2019. He then ran another drug operation called Candylove while still in prison and during Netflix documentary filming, earning an additional 4.5-year sentence in May.

Where is Maximilian Schmidt now?

Maximilian Schmidt is currently serving his second prison sentence of 4.5 years for running Candylove operation. His exact release date hasn’t been publicly disclosed, though he’ll likely face continued monitoring given his pattern of recidivism.

What is Shiny Flakes?

Shiny Flakes was Maximilian Schmidt’s online alias and the name of his dark web drug marketplace operating from his bedroom. The operation sold drugs worldwide through postal system using Bitcoin for payments from 2013-2015.

Did police recover Maximilian Schmidt’s Bitcoin?

Police recovered some Bitcoin but couldn’t access two of Maximilian Schmidt’s BTC wallets. These inaccessible wallets potentially contain significant cryptocurrency wealth, especially given Bitcoin’s price appreciation since 2015.

Is Maximilian Schmidt remorseful?

No, psychological evaluations and statements from legal professionals indicate Maximilian Schmidt shows “neither regret nor guilt, but pride instead.” He has been consistently described as someone showing no signs of remorse.