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| Section | Details |
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| Overview of the 764 Network | The 764 network, active since late 2020, is described as a nihilistic violent extremist (NVE) group that seeks to destroy civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, particularly minors. It operates globally, using online platforms like Discord and Telegram to coerce and extort children into producing explicit materials, including acts of self-harm and suicide. The network's ties to extremist ideologies, such as neo-Nazism and the Order of Nine Angles (O9A), add to its dangerous profile, as noted in various reports (Wikipedia - 764 (organization)). |
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| FBI's Initial Actions and Infiltration | Research suggests the FBI's targeted actions against 764 began in earnest around September 2023, marked by a public service announcement and several arrests. On September 12, 2023, the FBI issued a bulletin warning the public about the network's activities, accompanied by arrests of key figures, including Bradley Cadenhead, the founder, in Texas, as well as Angel Almeida in New York, Chandler Pong in Nevada, Kalana Limkin in Hawaii, and a minor in Romania (FBI Public Service Announcement). This period likely represents the start of significant infiltration efforts, leveraging intelligence from online platforms and international cooperation. Bradley Cadenhead's arrest in September 2023 was followed by his sentencing later that year to an 80-year prison term for child pornography charges, as reported in a January 2025 article (MPB Online Article). This swift action underscores the FBI's focus on dismantling leadership, a critical step in network infiltration. |
| Escalation of Investigations in 2024 | In 2024, the FBI continued its efforts with an arrest in Vernon, Connecticut, of a teen girl involved with 764, found with pornographic and self-mutilation photos, indicating the network's reach into local communities (ABC News Report). This arrest, while not specifying the exact date, highlights the FBI's ongoing investigations across states, with reports suggesting activity in every field office and arrests in 23 countries, as noted in a December 2024 CyberScoop article (CyberScoop Article). |
| Key Arrests and Takedown Efforts in 2025 | The evidence leans toward 2025 being a pivotal year for the takedown, with significant arrests of network leaders. On April 22, 2025, Prasan Nepal, also known as "Trippy," aged 20 from North Carolina, was arrested for operating an elite 764 club, promoting the network, and extorting victims to produce explicit content (DOJ Press Release). On April 29, 2025, Leonidas Varagiannis, known as "War," aged 21 and residing in Greece, was arrested for his role in leading the international child exploitation enterprise. The DOJ issued a press release on April 30, 2025, charging both with operating the network, signaling a major blow to its leadership (DOJ Press Release). Other notable actions in early 2025 include Jack Rocker's guilty plea in January 2025 in Tampa, sentenced to 7 years for possessing over 8,300 videos and images of child sexual abuse material, and Jairo Tinajero's guilty plea in February 2025 in Arkansas, with sentencing set for August 2025 (ABC News Report). These cases reflect the FBI's strategy of prosecuting individuals at various levels of the network. |
| Current Status and Ongoing Investigations | As of May 6, 2025, FBI Assistant Director David Scott announced in an exclusive interview that the agency has opened over 250 investigations tied to 764, involving all 55 field offices and potentially thousands of victims worldwide, some as young as 9 (ABC News Report). This statement, reported on May 6, 2025, by ABC News, indicates the scale and complexity of the effort, with the FBI classifying 764 as a form of domestic terrorism due to its nihilistic violent extremist goals. The network's activities, including live-streaming acts of self-harm and suicide, have been highlighted in Chicago FBI warnings, noting a sharp increase in activity (ABC7 Chicago Report). |
| Challenges and Context | The takedown process is ongoing, with reports suggesting the network's accelerationist goals aim to sow chaos and bring down society, complicating efforts (ABC News Report). The FBI's Counterterrorism Division and the Justice Department's National Security Division are involved, reflecting the intersection of terrorism, violent extremism, and child sexual exploitation, as analyzed in a January 2024 GNET research article (GNET Research Article). The network's use of cybercriminal tactics, such as infiltrating gaming sites, adds to the challenge, as noted in the December 2024 CyberScoop article (CyberScoop Article). |
| Conclusion | The timeline of FBI actions against the 764 network, from initial arrests and warnings in 2023 to major leadership arrests in April 2025 and ongoing investigations reported on May 6, 2025, illustrates a multi-year effort to infiltrate and dismantle a complex criminal network. The process remains active, with significant resources dedicated to protecting vulnerable populations and prosecuting offenders, as evidenced by the detailed reports and official statements. |
