Online Sextortion Group Tied to Disturbing International Cult Busted
This week, federal authorities took down Greggy’s Cult, an online sextortion group linked to an international neo-Nazi network involved in manipulating children into horrific acts, including self-harm and even murder.
Brooklyn federal prosecutors announced the indictment of five alleged leaders of this group on Tuesday. They reportedly targeted victims as young as 11 on online gaming sites, coercing them into producing sexually explicit videos and marking their bodies.
Yet, officials suggest this is likely just the beginning of a much larger issue.
Legal sources revealed that members of a broader, loosely connected network, known as “764,” were also involved with Greggy’s Cult. This group, founded in 2020 by then-15-year-old Texas dropout Bradley Cadenhead, has engaged in various online predatory behaviors.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, Greggy’s Cult predates 764, but influential members of 764 had previously been involved in Greggy’s operations.
Cadenhead is currently serving an 80-year sentence in federal prison, while others continue to sustain the activities of 764.
A report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) indicates that 764 is an offshoot of the far-right extremist group known as the Order of the Nine Angels (O9A), which merges Satanist and neo-Nazi ideologies.
Vulnerable young people, often dealing with issues like sexuality, eating disorders, or mental health challenges, are recruited from gaming platforms such as Roblox and directed to messaging apps like Discord.
It is here that cult members begin to prey on these children, coercing them into performing increasingly extreme behaviors, including harming pets, to prove their “loyalty.” The ADL report highlights that self-harm, particularly cutting, is also prevalent among those involved with 764.
Interestingly, Cadenhead’s group drew inspiration from another neo-Nazi organization known as the Maniac Murder Cult (MKY), which has been active since 2017 in Russia and Ukraine.
The consequences of joining such cults can be devastating. For instance, one boy who opened fire at Antioch High School in Tennessee claimed to have acted on behalf of MKY.
ADL documents link other severe crimes to victims of 764, such as a live-streamed stabbing incident near a mosque in Turkey and an attack by a teenager in Romania who slit a woman’s throat.
The U.S. Department of Justice is actively working to dismantle this elusive cult, with two alleged masterminds indicted in Washington, DC, earlier this year.
In May, NYPD officials expressed concern over parents’ lack of awareness about groups like 764, emphasizing the urgency of dismantling these harmful networks as a national security priority.
This week, federal prosecutors intensified their efforts against Greggy’s Cult, charging five men, including Hector Bermudez, 29, from Queens. Charges include child exploitation and conspiracy to produce child pornography.
Bermudez is joined by Rumaldo Valles, 22, from Hawaii; Camden Rodriguez, 22, from Colorado; Zachary Dosch, 26, from New Mexico; and David Brillhante, 28, from California. These individuals are accused of egregious acts, including encouraging victims to commit suicide and engage in self-harm.
Although Greggy’s Cult was reportedly active from January 2020 to January 2021, prosecutors noted that some leaders continued luring minors online even after disbanding the group.
In a troubling turn, Rodriguez attempted online blackmail in April, while Bermudez is alleged to have recruited minors in June. Additionally, Brillhante reportedly sent inappropriate materials to a child in September 2024.
“We strongly advise parents and guardians to discuss the dangers of online interactions with children and the need for caution against those who exploit them,” stated U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocera in announcing the indictment.
