Kash Patel sounds alarm on violent Internet group targeting young kids

With hundreds of investigations underway, FBI Director Kash Patel warned of a “deeply disturbing” network of “nihilistic violent extremists” targeting and exploiting kids.

(Video Credit: ABC News)

Accountability wasn’t the only thing Americans wanted to see come out of the federal government, as law and order still needed a boost after four years of soft-on-crime policies. As such, Patel highlighted the efforts that his agency was taking to “fight back” against a “satanist”-influenced network of child predators behind some of the “most disturbing things” the FBI was confronting.

Tuesday, the director encouraged the public to read a report from ABC News about the network known as 764, and how the @FBI is working with local law enforcement to fight back, with at least 250 investigations opened.

“It’s deeply disturbing, but critically important to understand what’s out there and be aware of the threats American kids and families are facing every day,” he said before adding of the targeting of vulnerable children, “It is absolutely tragic — and I want people to know we’re cracking down hard.”

I’d encourage everyone to read this story on the violent 764 network and how the @FBI is working with local law enforcement to fight back.

It’s deeply disturbing, but critically important to understand what’s out there and be aware of the threats American kids and families are… https://t.co/PU90nxqzGE

— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) May 6, 2025

According to the report from ABC News, the network coerces victims “into escalating sexual and violent behavior — pushing victims to create graphic pornography, harm family pets, cut themselves with sharp objects, or even die by suicide.”

Along with demanding videos and photos used to extort more content, “Some of the predators even host ‘watch parties’ for others to watch them torment victims live online.”

Speaking with ABC News, FBI Assistant Director David Scott said, “We see a lot of bad things, but this is one of the most disturbing things we’re seeing.”

“The more gore, the more violence … that raises their stature within the groups. So it’s sort of a badge of honor within some of these groups to actually do the most harm to victims,” he expressed as he referred to the network as “nihilistic violent extremists.”

In one particular example, a mother of a victim told ABC News, “It was very difficult to process, because we didn’t raise her to engage in that kind of activity.”

The girl, an honor roll student in Vernon, Connecticut, was arrested last year for conspiring with an overseas member of the network to bring bomb threats to her community. Law enforcement’s investigation discovered content of the girl praising 764 as well as pornographic photos of her and evidence of acts of self-mutilation on her devices.

“Think of this less as a group, and think of it more as an ideology,” contended Vernon Police Detective Tommy Van Tasel. “It doesn’t matter what they’re called. There are a lot of actors out there … encouraging this type of behavior. So it’s everywhere. It’s in every community.”

According to the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, 764 influences included “the Satanist neo-Nazi group The Order of Nine Angels.” The network’s name was said to reference part of the zip code of the alleged founder, Bradley Cadenhead, who is currently serving an 80-year prison sentence for child pornography charges. Messenger apps and gaming services were said to be tools used by the network to make contact with victims who were groomed into coercion. Resistance was met with extremes like swatting.

In addition to the arrests of Leanoidis Varagiannis and Prasan Nepal, who went by the aliases War and Trippy, the FBI director explained, “We’ve opened hundreds of cases around the country, and our field offices are fully engaged. This is a priority for myself, [FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino], and our leadership team.”

“Those who come after America’s children will face justice,” asserted Patel. “We will be relentless in pursuing them. We hope to have more updates very soon. Thank you to our teams and partners who are treating this issue with the gravity it deserves and working around the clock to protect children.”

Sharing the director’s post, Bongino added, “I want to echo the Director here and let the public know that as recently as this morning, we were getting updates [on] these investigations. Our teams are totally engaged, and this is a top priority for your FBI. If you harm America’s kids, we will pursue you, find you, and bring you to justice quickly. More soon.”

I want to echo the Director here and let the public know that as recently as this morning, we were getting updates these investigations. Our teams are totally engaged and this is a top priority for your FBI. If you harm America’s kids, we will pursue you, find you, and bring you… https://t.co/7GdRSMXQJO

— Dan Bongino (@FBIDDBongino) May 6, 2025

Staff Writer

Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn’t researching current events and their impacts, you’ll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.

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