WASHINGTON — Federal officials are increasingly alarmed by a disturbing terrorist cult known as 764. This group has been accused of coercing minors into engaging in sexual acts and self-harm, alongside torturing animals.
Last year, Leonidas “War” Varagiannis and Prasan “Trippy” Nepal were charged for allegedly compelling young girls to hurt themselves and partake in grotesque sexual activities.
“This vile organization has manipulated young girls into performing atrocious acts—self-harm, online sexual activities, even suicide—for their perverted amusement,” explained U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro.
“Our office, in partnership with law enforcement, is relentlessly working to address the dangerous risk of online child offenders by carrying out undercover operations to identify and catch these predators.”
A victim, a young girl, recounted being threatened into a self-harm performance, fearing that her private messages would be leaked if she didn’t comply. The criminal complaint revealed the perpetrators were proud of their manipulation, with one even boasting that a girl “killed herself for 764.”
Since 2021, numerous arrests related to 764 and its various disturbing offshoots have occurred. However, the dispersed nature of its online activities complicates efforts to track down those exploiting minors.
A troubling network of cyber predators targets minors, often girls aged 10 to 17, particularly those struggling with mental health issues. Mike Prado from the Department of Homeland Security stated, “Their main strategy is manipulation, and they are alarmingly skilled at it.”
“These individuals exploit the fact that many parents are unaware of their children’s online activities in today’s hectic world.”
They start by enticing minors in popular online spaces, subsequently attempting to move them to private areas, like closed Discord servers. Once there, victims face coercion to engage in horrific acts—self-harm, sexual behaviors, and harm towards pets and family—many of which are recorded as blackmail for further exploitation.
Serious crimes, including bombings and assaults, are reported to be livestreamed or captured on video.
Members of 764 often compete to achieve more extreme and horrifying acts. A case from a few years ago mentions a member, known as “Tobbz,” who killed elderly women to elevate his status within the group.
Victims frequently end up marking themselves with “cut signs,” inscribing the group’s number, “764,” on their skin.
“Those behind this movement hold a nihilistic worldview,” Prado noted. “What complicates the situation is how often today’s victims can become tomorrow’s offenders.”
The 764 network is aimed at achieving tumultuous goals, such as dismantling the current societal order, including the U.S. government. According to the Department of Justice, its followers seek to incite chaos and social upheaval.
“These factions aim to outdo one another, gaining credibility through increasingly depraved acts they commit against their victims,” Prado added.
While the realities may seem implausible, Prado insists that similar situations are, unfortunately, part of their daily investigations. The Department of Justice warns of the rising threat posed by 764 and related groups.
Founded in 2021 by Bradley Chance Cadenhead, who dropped out of school at 15 due to bullying and personal struggles, 764 drew its name from postal codes in his Texas hometown. Cadenhead, known online as “Felix,” cultivated a global following of sadists on platforms like Discord.
Currently serving an 80-year prison sentence, Cadenhead masterminded a network of extortion, pushing young victims into committing disturbing acts and sharing graphic content.
At one stage, he coerced a 10-year-old to share explicit images and boasted about these actions in a series of gruesome messages.
Believed to have been influenced by other malevolent groups, including neo-Nazi factions, 764 engages in behaviors such as animal torture and self-mutilation, far surpassing the depravity of lesser groups.
At Cadenhead’s sentencing in 2023, a prosecutor described the case as a rare glimpse into true evil. Now, federal authorities face the daunting task of addressing the ongoing threat posed by 764 and its derivatives.
Recent actions have seen federal prosecutors charge individuals with coercing minors into dangerous behaviors, such as suicide attempts and extreme self-harm.
“One of the most alarming aspects is the rising incidents of remote exploitation,” Prado pointed out, suggesting a link to increased online activity since the pandemic.
Pirro has urged parents to be vigilant about their children’s online engagements, reiterating that they are the first line of defense against such threats. “Be aware of what your children do online. Don’t let them fall into the clutches of online predators,” she stressed.
The Department of Homeland Security has launched initiatives to raise awareness among parents regarding the signs of potential exploitation and to encourage proactive monitoring of their children’s online interactions.
Prado emphasized, “This is an existing danger. Unsupervised online access can have devastating consequences.”
