There is a criminal ecosystem that moves in the shadows, among the digital platforms frequented every day by millions of minors. A shadowy group that lures young people, manipulates them and forces them to commit violence against themselves or others. Its name is Rete 764, but it is also known as Com/764 or 764 Inferno, an acronym synonymous with a nightmare that creeps from the virtual world into real life, transforming victims into executioners.
The elderly man stabbed in Sweden
The ferocity of this organization was revealed to the world at the end of 2024, in Hässelby, a quiet suburb of Stockholm, Sweden. A 14-year-old boy approached an 80-year-old man on the street and stabbed him three times in the back, apparently for no reason. But it wasn’t like that. The violent attack was broadcast live, making the rounds on networks that glorify sadistic and violent acts. During the investigation of the young killer, the Swedish authorities discovered that he had close ties to the 764 galaxy.
Young people lured and manipulated
These types of groups target young people in video games like Roblox and Minecraft, or on social media like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. The victims in most cases are vulnerable adolescents, aged between 10 and 17, often with mental health or sexual identity problems. Criminals hook minors by posing as peers or promising virtual currencies for games, then moving victims to encrypted chats such as Discord and Telegram. Through deception, minors are encouraged to send intimate photos or personal data and from that moment blackmail begins. If the victim does not comply, the material is sent to family members and classmates. In this way, to avoid public shame, the boys are forced to carry out acts of self-harm, animal abuse or violence against third parties, filming everything to demonstrate that they have followed orders. Producing these horror videos also serves to gain inroads within the group’s hierarchy.
The origins of the 764
The 764 Network was born from the mind of Bradley Cadenhead, who was only 15 years old when he founded the group. He is currently serving an 80-year prison sentence in the United States for possession and distribution of child pornography. Despite the founder’s arrest, the network survived thanks to its fluid structure. The Swedish investigations into the Stockholm case have brought to light another prominent name on the international scene, a teenager known online by the nickname Chai. Behind this profile was a boy from northern Sweden, accused of over 70 crimes, including having induced a young man to commit suicide in Germany and blackmailing an Australian girl. According to Swedish prosecutor Jenny Östling, Chai enjoyed a high status in the chat called 764 Inferno, a group whose ultimate ideological goal “is to destroy the world and gain prestige through human degradation.”
Arrests all over the world
According to an investigation by the Swedish broadcaster SVT, a total of 295 arrests were made in 33 countries linked to the global network “The Com”, the largest criminal cartel that includes the 764. In April 2025, the United States Department of Justice indicted Leonidas Varagiannis and Prasan Nepal for managing the 764 chats after Cadenhead’s arrest and for the dissemination of violent and child pornography material. In 2025, 19-year-old Cameron Finnigan was sentenced to 9 years in prison in the UK for possessing a terrorist killing guide and online inciting a person to commit suicide. In New Zealand, 22-year-old Ronndog Keefe was sentenced to over 5 years in prison for disseminating explicit child pornography linked to the group.
Investigations in Italy
Italy is also among the countries hit by this wave of digital extremism. The postal police have been monitoring the Telegram channels and Discord servers attributable to the 764 galaxy for some time. The investigations have brought to light disturbing scenarios in our country too, with complaints and searches in various provinces. Some teenagers intercepted by the police had had contact with the 764 Network and had already practiced acts of self-harm, sharing photos and videos of their wounds to be accepted in closed chats. In some cases, young people had been manipulated into planning and committing violent acts at school, emulating videos of attacks abroad. The investigators seized documents of all kinds, guerrilla manuals and symbols that referred to Nazism, esotericism and the number 764.
The FBI alarm
This is a phenomenon that is often underestimated or kept hidden behind the wall of shame by young victims, who prefer to suffer blackmail rather than confess to their families what is happening. To increase awareness of the phenomenon and warn parents, in recent months the FBI has also published videos and documents on the topic, after the strong increase in activities linked to the 764 galaxy and other similar ones: “Members of these networks connect online with children and other individuals at risk via mobile messaging apps, social media and gaming platforms, to then manipulate or force them to produce and share explicit content, child pornography or to carry out acts of animal cruelty, self-harm or violence. Some of these predators even go so far as to watch live streaming videos of self-harm and other violent content, spreading them to continue to extort money from victims and exercise control.”
The identikit of criminals
The FBI refers to the term nihilistic violent extremism (nve) to talk about the motivations that push these criminals to act in this way, highlighting that their goal is to sow chaos and promote the destruction of society. However, not all participants in these violent online networks are motivated by nve, as many individuals may become involved in criminal activity for sexual gratification, social status, a sense of belonging, or a combination of other reasons. The perpetrators of these crimes are often men under the age of 25, from all walks of life, who lure the victims by initially establishing a relationship of trust or sentimentality, and then manipulate them and force them to carry out increasingly harmful behaviors aimed at humiliating and isolating them.
The alarm bells
In its letter to families, the Federal Bureau of Investigation lists behavioral and physical signs to watch out for in younger people. Key indicators include sudden changes in behavior, such as becoming withdrawn, moody or irritable, along with changes in appearance, including neglecting one’s image or hiding specific body parts. Changes in eating or sleeping habits, any signs of animal abuse or unexplained harm to younger siblings, as well as threatening suicide or speaking openly about death and not being wanted should also be monitored. From a physical point of view, it is essential to pay attention to fresh cuts, scratches, bruises, burns or scars arranged according to precise patterns that include terms or names related to the number 764. Finally, other anomalous behaviors should not be underestimated, such as receiving unexpected messages or phone calls from unknown numbers and the arrival at home of sudden and inexplicable gifts or packages.
Prevention and awareness
Awareness is the first step towards prevention and it is essential for parents to understand who their children communicate with online, which platforms they use and how. It is important to talk and explain to young people the risks of sharing personal data, images or videos online. Although these are originally virtual threats, the effects and consequences for the young people involved are tragically real. Only vigilance, information and collaboration between families and law enforcement can prevent these predators from entering our homes, directly through our children’s devices.