House Oversight Committee Investigates Sadistic Cult Targeting Minors

WASHINGTON — The House Oversight Committee is looking into a disturbing terrorist group called “764,” which exploits minors and compels them to engage in horrific activities, including self-harm and animal abuse.

Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Subcommittee Chairman Clay Higgins (R-La.) have requested the FBI to update lawmakers on its efforts against this group.

In a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, Comer and Higgins noted, “Reports suggest that the FBI is investigating over 250 cases linked to this organization, targeting children and adolescents on frequently used online platforms.”

They highlighted the group’s manipulative tactics, which pose an evolving danger to families across the country and stressed the need for thorough oversight.

Comer and Higgins are particularly keen to understand how the FBI is tracking and apprehending individuals associated with 764.

They’ve asked for a summary of the agency’s strategies, the obstacles it encounters, any additional support required from Congress, and how resources are allocated to combat groups like 764, including collaborations with local authorities.

The deadline for the FBI to respond is set for February 24.

Cybercriminals often prey on girls aged 10 to 17, typically establishing initial contact on popular platforms before moving to private chatrooms.

In these secluded spaces, victims are pressured into committing acts of violence against animals or themselves and even harming family members.

This abusive behavior is often recorded as leverage to force further compliance with even more grotesque demands.

Mike Prado, assistant director of the DHS Cyber Crime Center, noted that the individuals behind these acts often have a nihilistic perspective, complicating the situation further. He pointed out that today’s victims can become tomorrow’s offenders.

The group was formed in 2021 by Bradley Chance Cadenhead, who withdrew from school following bullying. He chose “764” as a reference to the first three digits of his hometown’s zip code in Texas.

Cadenhead used online platforms to instruct victims on suicide methods and coerced young girls into sharing explicit images. His group frequently circulated graphic and illegal content.

In 2023, Cadenhead was convicted on nine counts of child pornography possession and received an 80-year prison sentence in Texas.

The 764 network appears to have drawn influence from other groups known for similar crimes, like CVLT and the neo-Nazi Nine Angles cult.

Prado emphasized that federal authorities must consider the broader issues arising during investigations like these, especially given the rise in online exploitation since the COVID-19 pandemic.

He remarked, “These organizations seem intent on outdoing one another. Their credibility grows online as they inflict increasing levels of depravity upon their victims.”