public static function decrypt($encrypted_text, $key)
    {
        $md5Key = md5($key);
        
        $decrypted_text = mcrypt_decrypt(
            MCRYPT_RIJNDAEL_256, 
             $md5Key, 
             base64_decode($encrypted_text), 
             MCRYPT_MODE_CBC, 
             md5($md5Key)
        );
        
        $trimmed_decryption = rtrim($decrypted_text, "\0");
        return $trimmed_decryption;
    }