The Federal Bureau of Investigation has initiated a sweeping investigation into a sinister international network of online predators who operate under the name ‘764’.
Known for infiltrating youth-centric platforms like Discord and Roblox, this group is being described by authorities as a major emerging threat to child safety across the globe.
According to FBI Assistant Director David Scott, all 55 FBI field offices are currently handling active cases connected to the group.
“Over 250 probes are underway across the United States,” Scott revealed, noting that some victims identified are as young as nine years old. Law enforcement fears that the number of children affected globally may already be in the thousands.
How Group ‘764’ Operates
As detailed in an ABC News investigation, members of the 764 network exploit social media and gaming platforms to build trust with their targets, often pretending to be peers or romantic partners.
After grooming their victims, the predators manipulate them into sending explicit content or engaging in disturbing acts such as injuring themselves or their pets.
These acts are then either circulated within the group or used as blackmail to coerce further abuse.
Shockingly, some members organize ‘watch parties’ to view abuse in real time. Officials warn that 764 fosters a toxic environment promoting extreme ideologies, including mass violence, neo-Nazism, and Satanism, in an attempt to emotionally numb young participants.
Victims Becoming Tools of the Network
In a particularly troubling case, a teenager from Connecticut who was drawn into the group was later implicated in bomb threat conspiracies.
“She was trained to hack gaming accounts and coerced into spreading threats,” investigators disclosed.
Authorities highlighted how the manipulation can turn victims into unwilling accomplices. Swatting, placing fake emergency calls to trigger armed police raids on victims’ homes, is another fear tactic used by members when their targets show resistance.
Origins and Evolution of 764
The group’s disturbing moniker traces back to a Texas zip code, the hometown of its founder, Bradley Cadenhead, who reportedly started the group as a teenager on Discord.
Though Cadenhead is now behind bars, the network has morphed over time, spawning international branches and frequently changing names to escape detection and platform bans.
Among the latest individuals arrested are 20-year-old Prasan Nepal from North Carolina, accused of running a high-level faction of 764, and Jack Rocker, found with thousands of graphic abuse images.
Protecting Children: What Parents Need to Know
Authorities are urging parents to be vigilant and involved in their children’s online lives. Changes in behavior, unexplained bruises, or an unusual reluctance to show skin may signal abuse, according to the report.
“Parents need to quickly report anything weird to the cops,” officials emphasized.
Companies like Discord and Roblox have pledged to boost safety measures and are working with investigators, but experts insist that the first line of defense begins at home.
