Online Predator Group '764' Under FBI Scrutiny for Exploiting Minors

A dangerous and disturbing online group known as "764" is now a top target for U.S. law enforcement, as it is linked to a growing wave of cyber exploitation involving children and other vulnerable individuals.

The FBI has opened investigations into 250 people believed to be connected with 764 and similar online predator networks. These groups befriend victims online and then coerce them into sharing sexually explicit material or committing acts of self-harm and abuse — even involving animals.

The FBI has been monitoring this activity since at least 2023 and confirmed that all 55 of its field offices are actively investigating 764 and its spinoff groups.

In 2024 alone, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received over 1,300 reports related to these types of crimes — a 200% increase from 2023. Kathryn Rifenbark, director of NCMEC’s CyberTipline, emphasized the importance of law enforcement’s ongoing investigations and the need to support victims.

The group reportedly began with a teenager named Bradley Cadenhead from Texas, whose zip code inspired the name “764.” He created a Discord server where he distributed child sexual abuse material and targeted vulnerable children and women, coercing them into disturbing acts during video calls.

Discord identified the 764 server in 2021 and reported it to law enforcement. Cadenhead was later arrested and sentenced to 80 years in prison in 2023. However, the network has since expanded globally, forming smaller splinter groups.

In April 2025, U.S. citizen Leonidas Varagiannis, 21, and North Carolina resident Prasan Nepal, 20, were arrested for allegedly running a subgroup called “764 Inferno.” They are accused of ordering victims to harm themselves and carrying out extreme psychological abuse and violence against minors.

“These groups are made up of people who share the same goal — to harm others, especially children,” said Ben Halpert, president of Savvy Cyber Kids, an organization promoting online safety and ethics.

The threat isn’t just limited to online abuse. In 2023, police in Vernon, Connecticut, investigated bomb and shooting threats targeting schools. The threats were traced back to a 764 member who manipulated a local teenage girl into sending explicit content and personal information. The girl was also suspected of helping make the threats but is being treated as both a suspect and a victim. She is now receiving mental health treatment and returning to her normal life.

Victims often stay silent out of fear — concerned their abusers might release videos of their abuse or reveal personal information to law enforcement in a tactic known as “swatting,” which can lead to armed police responses.

Authorities are still trying to determine whether the rise in exploitation reports is due to an increase in victims or better awareness and reporting.

In a recent article, New York police officials Jessica S Tisch and Rebecca Weiner described 764 and similar groups as “the stuff of nightmares” and called dismantling these networks a national security priority in both the U.S. and Europe.

Their message to parents: “Do you know what your kids are doing online? If not, the answer may terrify you.”

The FBI continues to pursue leads and gather information to take down the individuals behind these crimes. Police say recovery for the victims will take years, but efforts are ongoing to provide support and bring the perpetrators to justice.