In a sweeping international investigation, U.S. and Greek authorities have arrested and charged two men alleged to be ringleaders of a violent online child exploitation network known as “764.” The network, described by officials as one of the most extreme and depraved online abuse operations ever encountered, is accused of orchestrating systemic grooming, sexual exploitation, and violent coercion of minors worldwide.
Leonidas Varagiannis, 21, a U.S. citizen living in Thessaloniki, Greece, and Prasan Nepal, 20, of North Carolina, were identified as leading figures within the extremist network, which operated under the ideology of “nihilistic violent extremism” and pursued goals of societal collapse through mass psychological and sexual abuse. Varagiannis was arrested in Greece, while Nepal was taken into custody in North Carolina on April 22, 2025.
The charges were announced jointly by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Attorney General Pamela Bondi, and senior FBI officials from Washington, New York, and Charlotte. The operation included support from the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Athens and the Hellenic National Police.
A Network of Terror and Abuse
According to an affidavit filed in the District of Columbia, “764” is a global digital enterprise that used encrypted platforms to circulate child sexual abuse material (CSAM), gore, and sadistic content as a form of social currency. Its core subgroup, “764 Inferno,” functioned as a recruitment and command hub where members allegedly directed abuse, extortion, and psychological manipulation of minors.
Victims were reportedly coerced into acts of self-harm, sexual exploitation of siblings, animal cruelty, and other violent behavior. The group used these acts to create so-called “Lorebooks” — digital archives used to gain status within the network or recruit new members. In at least eight confirmed cases, children as young as 13 were groomed and exploited, with the abuse traced across multiple jurisdictions from late 2020 to early 2025.
Court documents allege that the defendants taught grooming techniques, enforced content production quotas, and directly participated in, ordered, or facilitated acts of psychological and physical torment.
Official Response and Ongoing Investigations
U.S. Attorney Martin described the case as “every parent’s nightmare,” saying, “The number of victims and the depths of depravity are staggering. Justice demands a swift and uncompromising response.”
Attorney General Bondi called it “one of the most heinous child exploitation enterprises we have ever encountered,” pledging full accountability for those involved.
FBI officials emphasized that the arrests signal a broader dismantling of violent online extremist networks. “This group glorified violence, weaponized abuse, and targeted children to advance a deeply depraved ideology,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, who acknowledged the role of the Joint Terrorism Task Force in the investigation.
The suspects face multiple charges related to child sexual exploitation, with potential sentences of life imprisonment if convicted. Their cases will be prosecuted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
National and International Coordination
The case was brought under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. The DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and local U.S. Attorney’s Offices coordinated the investigation, along with significant contributions from federal agencies across North Carolina, New York, Washington, D.C., and Greece.
Further updates will follow as the case proceeds through the legal system. The public is encouraged to report any information about suspected exploitation to authorities via www.justice.gov/psc.
