The darknet does not enjoy the best of reputations, which is only to be expected. A lot of criminal activity takes place in this hidden part of the internet, and some individuals simply raise the bar to levels which make the rest of the world rather uncomfortable. Below are a few key examples of how nasty crime on the darknet can really get.
#3 The German Psychopath
Whereas most of the darknet activity seemingly pertains to buying and selling illegal goods and services, there are plenty of other shady things going on. One notorious example comes in the form of Marcel Hesse, who wasn’t even 20 years old at the time of this particular incident. This person uploaded some very disturbing self-recorded footage on the darknet. In the video, people could see how Hesse killed someone and even set his apartment on fire afterward.
Unfortunately, the investigation turned up even more gory details. Hesse didn’t just kill his friend by stabbing the person dozens of times. He also killed his neighbor’s son by stabbing the kid over 45 times. By actively boasting about his “successes” and sharing the footage on the darknet, an investigation was launched almost immediately. Hesse eventually surrendered to the police and currently serves his life sentence in a psychiatric ward.
#2 The Child Abuse Crime Ring Mastermind
When it comes to despicable people in darknet crime, Peter Scully has a special place in most people’s mind. This Australian native is a known pedophile, yet his more sadistic habits earned him quite the online reputation. While most of the details of his activities remain shrouded in mystery, some details paint a very grotesque picture. Not only did he run a global criminal network, but it is his other “activities” which highlight who Peter Scully really is.
By actively producing and selling videos of child sex abuse, children being tortured, and other content involving children, Scully built up quite the reputation in very quick succession. Law enforcement officials filed 75 different charges against Scully, who is still awaiting a potential death penalty in the Philippines at this time. If the death penalty is not reinstated in the country, he will face several decades of jail sentence, up to a maximum of one century.
#1 The Care Worker Turns to Child Porn
It would appear the darknet is capable of bringing out people’s worst desires and preferences. That is part of what makes it appealing to some of the worst criminals in the modern era. On that list is another Australian, who goes by the name of Shannon Grant McCoole. Similar to Scully, this person was quite fond of child pornography. So much even that McCoole became the administrator of a global child pornography ring active on the darknet for many years. It is also worth noting McCoole physically abused multiple children in state care.
After the investigation into this child pornography ring began in 2014, law enforcement officials were able to arrest McCoole several months later. With a 35-year jail sentence, this person will not get out anytime soon. However, McCoole is actively cooperating in bringing down other users who were part of this darknet crime group. Despite these best efforts, there is no indication McCoole is showing any remorse, thus a massively reduced prison sentence seems rather unlikely.