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The FBI has intensified its effort across the U.S. to take down the online child-exploitation group, “764” network, with two recent examples highlighted by FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino.
In a post shared on X on Wednesday, Bongino revealed how the dangerous network has infiltrated online spaces popular with minors and said how aggressively federal authorities are moving to shut it down.
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Dan Bongino announced two large child sex predator operations, which resulted in hundreds of children being rescued. (Reuters)
“For those who may not know, the 764 Network is a heinous child-exploitation ring that often targets children online and coerces them into acts of violence, self-harm, animal abuse, suicide, and sexual abuse,” Bongino warned.
“At the beginning of the year, our teams redoubled efforts to go after these networks and eliminate them. We have more than 300 investigations connected to this network nationwide, and that number is growing. It is a top priority for us,” he added.
Among the latest cases, Bongino said agents from FBI Baltimore arrested an individual on charges of targeting five minors, including a 13-year-old.
He said the suspect is now in federal custody, and additional details are expected as the investigation develops.
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The “764” predators are known for targeting minors on social media and using coercion to get them to film themselves committing violent or sexual acts, and then using those videos to extort minors for increasing violent or sexual videos that are then shared with “764” followers online. (iStock)
Meanwhile, in Arizona, an indictment revealed an individual in federal custody had been found allegedly targeting kids as an affiliate of “764.”
“The nine victims involved were between 11 and 15 years old,” Bongino explained, “Some of the allegations include distributing child pornography, cyberstalking, animal crushing, and even conspiring to provide material support to terrorists,” Bongino said.
The “764” network traces back to 2021, when it was founded by Bradley “Felix” Cadenhead, a Texas teenager who operated a group called CVLT.
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The FBI has launched a massive crackdown on the child exploitation network with 300 investigations nationwide, with the organization asking parents to check in with their kids and monitor internet usage. (iStock)
Named after the ZIP code of Cadenhead’s hometown, “764” now exists within a broader ecosystem of violent online communities known as “The COM.”
Members allegedly use popular online preteen and teen platforms such as Discord, Telegram and Roblox to recruit and manipulate minors.
“I cannot emphasize this enough, this is a major issue in America that not enough people know about,” Bongino warned.
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“We are asking all parents to please be on guard, check in with your kids and monitor their internet usage. Consider safeguards that limit what these networks can access.”
In the meantime, Bongino said the FBI will “keep working day and night to destroy this network. It is a top priority. We are making progress, but the work isn’t done.”