The Frightening Reality of Online PredatorsArticle

The Department of Justice is calling on parents, caregivers, teachers, and communitymembers to join law enforcement in the fight against a dangerous and growing category ofonline predators. These networks, often referred to as “764” or “Nihilistic ViolentExtremism” (NVE), represent a decentralized extremist subculture that weaponizes digitalplatforms to exploit and radicalize children. These perpetrators also may be engaging incriminal activity for sexual gratification, seeing an opening to prey on children. Otherindividuals may be drawn to the groups by a desire for social status or a sense of belongingand may not be ideologically motivated.

Regardless, these networks exist on publiclyavailable online platforms, such as social media sites, gaming platforms, and mobileapplications commonly used by young people.The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat posed by these networks and isinvestigating hundreds of subjects nationwide, including investigations involvingperpetrators and victims right here in the Central District of Illinois. Despite the determinedwork of FBI agents along with their partners at U.S. Attorneys’ Offices around the country,more and more children are finding these groups online. The Federal Bureau ofInvestigation currently has identified over 450 subjects tied to these networks nationwide.The majority of victims are under the age of 18, with some as young as nine years old.Understanding the Threat: What is NVE?Nihilistic Violent Extremism is a form of violence motivated by a hatred of society and adrive to cause its collapse through indiscriminate chaos.

Unlike traditional extremistgroups with clear political or religious agendas, NVE members advocate for destructionacross the world by glorifying mass killers, promoting animal cruelty, and urging self-harm. These predators methodically target vulnerable individuals, primarily children and teens,on social media and gaming platforms. Once contact is established, they use "sextortion,"manipulation, and blackmail to coerce victims into producing "gore" content or childsexual abuse material or performing acts of violence and self-mutilation, often demandingthese acts be livestreamed. These actors have even manipulated children to take their ownlives.“Nihilistic Violent Extremism is a direct assault on the safety of our youth,” said FBISpringfield Acting Special Agent in Charge, Karen Marinos.

“These groups specifically seekout vulnerable children to coerce them into horrific acts of self-harm and violence. TheFBI’s priority is to disrupt these networks at their source, ensuring that the predators whoorchestrate this exploitation are held accountable for the lives they attempt to destroy.”“We are working tirelessly to protect our children and ensure that those who perpetratethese evil acts face justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore.

“The dedicatedprosecutors and staff in my office, alongside our FBI partners, will use every available tool,from sophisticated digital forensics to community outreach, to dismantle these nihilisticnetworks and protect the Central District of Illinois.”Awareness and Prevention: Warning Signs for ParentsAwareness is the first line of defense: do not count on filters or parental controls to stopthese activities. NVE actors are highly skilled at bypassing restrictions or teaching victimshow to bypass them. Law enforcement urges parents to have open, ongoing conversationswith their children about their digital lives and to discourage the use of devices in nonsharedareas of the home.These predators methodically target vulnerable individuals, primarily children and teens,on social media and gaming platforms. Once contact is established, they use "sextortion,"manipulation, and blackmail to coerce victims into producing "gore" content or childsexual abuse material or performing acts of violence and self-mutilation, often demandingthese acts be livestreamed.

These actors have even manipulated children to take their ownlives.“Nihilistic Violent Extremism is a direct assault on the safety of our youth,” said FBISpringfield Acting Special Agent in Charge, Karen Marinos. “These groups specifically seekout vulnerable children to coerce them into horrific acts of self-harm and violence. TheFBI’s priority is to disrupt these networks at their source, ensuring that the predators whoorchestrate this exploitation are held accountable for the lives they attempt to destroy.”“We are working tirelessly to protect our children and ensure that those who perpetratethese evil acts face justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory M.

Gilmore. “The dedicatedprosecutors and staff in my office, alongside our FBI partners, will use every available tool,from sophisticated digital forensics to community outreach, to dismantle these nihilisticnetworks and protect the Central District of Illinois.”Awareness and Prevention: Warning Signs for ParentsAwareness is the first line of defense: do not count on filters or parental controls to stopthese activities. NVE actors are highly skilled at bypassing restrictions or teaching victimshow to bypass them. Law enforcement urges parents to have open, ongoing conversationswith their children about their digital lives and to discourage the use of devices in nonsharedareas of the home.Potential signs of victimization include:Physical Markers: Fresh cuts, scratches, or scars, often in patterns (including"764"-related terms or platform names).

These cuts will often be on hidden placesof the body (thigh, chest, groin).Behavioral Changes: Becoming suddenly withdrawn, moody, or irritable. Changesin school performance, eating, or sleeping habits. These may be drastic and withoutwarning.Animal Cruelty or Aggression: Sudden interest in harming animals or unexplainedaggression toward younger siblings.Digital Red Flags: Reports of personally identifying information being posted online("doxing") or unexplained gifts/packages arriving at the home.Dark Ideation: Openly talking about death, "not being wanted," or threateningsuicide. Actively seeking tools for violence such as firearms, explosives, orchemicals.Reporting and ResourcesIf you or someone you know is a victim of these tactics, retain all digital evidence(usernames, emails, platform names) and report it immediately:1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.govFBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center: ic3.govIn case of imminent danger, call 911.The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) provides a free serviceknown as Take It Down, which helps minor victims, or adults who were victimized asminors, to remove or stop the online sharing of nude or sexually explicit content takenwhile under 18 years old.

For more information, visit https://takeitdown.ncmec.org.These investigations are part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combatthe epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by theDepartment of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice’s ChildExploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, andlocal resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit childrenvia the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information aboutProject Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online riskshere: Parents, Caregivers, Teachers — FBI and the FBI’s March 2025 public serviceannouncement.