Hidden behind the anonymity of screens and social media platforms, the network known as “764” has emerged as one of the darkest and most dangerous online communities of a sadomasochistic nature.
Authorities have linked it to a horrifying range of crimes, from the sexual exploitation of minors and extortion to incitement of extreme violence, self-harm, and in some cases, suicide. Data compiled by the FBI paints a picture of a network whose members primarily target vulnerable teenagers around the world, trapping them in a cycle of manipulation, fear, and abuse. Two 17-year-old Greeks arrested last Saturday (June 20) in Thessaloniki and Crete are alleged to have been part of this network.
According to the Greek Police (ELAS), the arrests followed an extensive digital investigation and analysis of intelligence data. Working in cooperation with international authorities, specifically the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in the United States, investigators identified two online users operating within Greek territory. Through social media accounts they managed, the two are alleged to have threatened and extorted underage girls, extracting sexually explicit material depicting them, while simultaneously urging their victims to commit acts of self-harm.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time Greeks have allegedly been involved in this network. In April 2025, a 21-year-old identified as L.V., known within the network as “War,” was named as one of the alleged leaders of the “764” criminal organization, according to the FBI investigation.
Research by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) has documented at least 50 arrests since 2021 of individuals connected to the core cells and offshoots of “764.” These individuals are alleged to have approached their victims through popular online platforms, deceiving or coercing them into producing sexual abuse material, and then using that very material as a weapon to force new and increasingly extreme acts. These included carving the names of network members into their own bodies, harming animals, self-mutilation, and suicide.
Thousands of Victims and Perpetrators
Any minor who is active on social media is a potential target of “764” network members, and in some cases adults are targeted as well. ISD research has identified several online communities where perpetrators seek out their victims, exploiting their vulnerabilities. The most common hunting grounds are online gaming communities and spaces connected to mental health disorders.
Through what the network’s members call “sextortion guides,” documents recovered by ISD researchers, investigators have found detailed and chillingly methodical instructions for how blackmailers identify and exploit their victims. While the process varies somewhat for each victim, perpetrators generally follow a standard pattern. They first work to gain the victim’s trust, then obtain nude photographs. That material is then used to leverage further exploitation, under threat of public exposure, pushing the victim toward complete destruction.
Although similar tactics are common in other online extortion cases, “764” members do not stop there. They seek to keep victims under prolonged control and captivity, gradually compelling them into increasingly extreme acts, including animal abuse and attempted murders. The network operates on a global scale and is estimated to include thousands of individuals who have been both perpetrators and victims. The ISD has identified Telegram groups with as many as 15,000 users. Security services in countries including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom have all issued warnings about the threat.
How the Network Operates Across Popular Apps
According to ISD research, “764” is active on virtually every major social media platform, with the most prominent being Telegram, Discord, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit.
Victims may initially be approached on X or Reddit, then moved to less-monitored platforms such as Telegram or Discord. But the network’s activity has also been detected inside gaming communities, including Minecraft, Fortnite, Twitch, and Steam.
Discord is considered the platform of choice by “764” members. A victim might first be contacted through a gaming-related community and end up being coerced into acts of self-harm that are then livestreamed to private groups. Through Telegram, sexual exploitation material is exchanged with the goal of building the reputations of individual members within the network.
Online communities related to mental health disorders are a primary hunting ground for “764” members, as they often include vulnerable individuals with suicidal ideation. Perpetrators locate victims by searching for keywords related to these conditions across major platforms. One alleged network leader reportedly boasted about the success rate of finding victims on X, claiming the platform hosted hundreds of users who openly declared they were self-harming.
The network’s internal guides instruct members to cultivate self-harm habits in their victims, demanding daily photographic proof of the acts. ISD analysts also observed large numbers of users in online communities competing with one another to display more extensive self-harm, illustrating the depths of cruelty embedded in the network’s culture.
