News Report: 8-Year-Old Boy Purchases AK-47 on the Darknet
A woman from the Netherlands reported that her 8-year-old son managed to buy an AK-47 on the Darknet without her knowledge.
Barbara Gemen stated that her son began engaging in hacking and ordering items on the internet for free when he was just 8 years old. Initially, his purchases on the Darknet were small, such as free pizza, but they gradually escalated to more serious items.
Gemen explained that her son used code phrases like “Pitt goes to us” whenever she entered the room to mask his actions. He communicated with cybercriminals through online games. According to Gemen, her son even assisted hackers in money laundering.
It wasn’t until an actual AK-47 with cartridges arrived at their doorstep that Gemen realized the severity of the situation. She believes her son spent a month learning how to order the weapon and have it delivered to their home. The young boy managed to transport the AK-47 from Poland to Bulgaria without customs checking, but Gemen promptly handed it over to the local police. No legal actions were taken against her child.
Gemen also noticed changes in her son’s behavior, such as staying up at night to use the computer and experiencing severe stress. It was then that she discovered her son was involved with an international group of hackers.
Fearing for her son’s safety, Gemen reached out to law enforcement agencies and her son’s school for guidance, but her concerns were ignored. Taking matters into her own hands, Gemen began educating herself about her son’s worldviews and cybersecurity.
The situation reached a breaking point when her son confessed that his hacker friends asked him to help break into a company and send them stolen information. Gemen intervened and severed his connection with the criminals.
“These days, hacking is so accessible because many children have laptops and cell phones, and hacking into a computer takes just a few clicks. Preventing young people from hacking is