Federal agents in Baltimore and Arizona have arrested individuals reportedly linked to the 764 network, an online child exploitation group suspected of targeting children aged 11-15 through the distribution of child pornography and coercing them into violent acts. Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino has underscored the FBI’s aggressive stance in dismantling this network, which he described as a serious threat to children’s safety and well-being. The network, originally founded in 2021 by a Texas teenager named Bradley ‘Felix’ Cadenhead, was initially known as the CVLT group. Cadenhead, who grew up in a town with the ZIP code 764, later expanded this group into the broader ‘COM’ ecosystem of violent online communities.
Bongino detailed how the FBI has intensified operations across the United States to combat the 764 network, emphasizing that the agency has over 300 ongoing investigations into this group’s activities. These efforts have led to recent arrests, including the detention of a suspect in Baltimore charged with targeting five minors, including a 13-year-old. In Arizona, an indictment revealed an individual in federal custody had been found to be an affiliate of the 764 network, allegedly targeting children between the ages of 11 and 15. The charges against several suspects include distributing child pornography, cyberstalking, animal crushing, and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists.
Bongino has warned that these networks are using platforms like Discord, Telegram, and Roblox to recruit and manipulate minors, often normalizing extreme behavior and grooming them into participating in dangerous activities. He called on parents to monitor their children’s online engagement and implement safeguards to limit access to such harmful content. The FBI is actively pursuing these individuals and has committed to continuing its efforts to dismantle the 764 network, which is deemed a top priority by federal authorities. Bongino stressed that while progress is being made, the threat remains significant, and the network continues to pose a serious risk to children across the country.
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