WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Two U.S. citizens have been arrested and charged in connection with what federal authorities describe as one of the most disturbing global child exploitation enterprises ever uncovered. The operation, known as “764,” functioned as a violent extremist network with alleged aims of societal collapse and relied on the abuse and manipulation of minors to fuel its activities.
Leonidas Varagiannis, 21, also known as “War,” was arrested in Thessaloniki, Greece, while Prasan Nepal, 20, known as “Trippy,” was taken into custody on April 22 in North Carolina, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Both men are accused of leading a subgroup of the 764 network, called “764 Inferno,” and face multiple federal charges, including production and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), grooming, extortion, and violent coercion of minors.
The arrests were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Attorney General Pamela Bondi, and senior FBI officials from the Washington and New York field offices. If convicted, both men face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
According to an affidavit filed in the District of Columbia, the 764 network operated primarily through encrypted messaging platforms and targeted children as young as 13. The group allegedly used violent imagery and manipulation tactics to coerce minors into producing explicit content, often under threat of exposure, self-harm, or harm to others. Victims were ordered to cut symbols into their bodies, perform sexually explicit acts, and even engage in violence against siblings or animals.
“These defendants are accused of orchestrating one of the most heinous online child exploitation enterprises we have ever encountered – a network built on terror, abuse, and the deliberate targeting of children,” said Attorney General Bondi in a press statement.
The affidavit also reveals that the 764 network exchanged exploitative content in the form of so-called “Lorebooks,” digital archives of CSAM and violent materials, which were used as currency to gain status and recruit new members. These digital vaults were encrypted and maintained by various members around the world.
Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI’s Washington Field Office described the case as part of a broader effort to dismantle violent extremist networks that threaten public safety. “Our work is not done until justice is restored for all impacted victims,” he said.
Nepal, who was based in North Carolina, allegedly instructed other members on grooming tactics and content production, while Varagiannis held a leadership position from abroad. Investigators believe their activities spanned from late 2020 through early 2025 and involved victims across multiple jurisdictions.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington, New York, and Charlotte field offices, along with international assistance from the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Athens. Prosecution is being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The investigation is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse.
