Federal prosecutors have dismantled a horrifying online child exploitation network, exposing how predators weaponized Discord and gaming platforms to coerce vulnerable minors into unspeakable acts of self-harm.
Quick Take
- Five defendants charged with running “Greggy’s Cult,” an online child exploitation enterprise using Discord servers to terrorize and blackmail minors
- Prosecutors the network produced child sexual abuse material and coerced victims into degrading acts and self-harm between January 2020 and January 2021
- Defendants targeted vulnerable children on gaming platforms including Roblox and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- Attorney General Pam Bondi vows DOJ will hold accountable anyone preying on vulnerable populations online or offline
Five Defendants Arrested Across the Nation
Federal authorities arrested five men accused of operating “Greggy’s Cult,” a coordinated child exploitation network spanning multiple states.
Hector Bermudez, 29, of Queens, New York; Zachary Dosch, 26, of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Rumaldo Valdez, 22, of Honolulu, Hawaii; David Brilhante, 28, of San Diego, California; and Camden Rodriguez, 22, of Longmont, Colorado were taken into custody and face arraignment in the Eastern District of New York.
The indictment charges them with conspiracy to produce child pornography, conspiracy to receive and distribute child pornography, and conspiracy to communicate interstate threats.
DOJ busts ‘Greggy’s Cult’ child exploitation network that allegedly coerced kids into self-harm https://t.co/WqNKDqMIHx
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Discord Servers as Platforms for Predatory Exploitation
Prosecutors describe “Greggy’s Cult” as a “nightmarish platform on the internet” where defendants coordinated systematic abuse. The network operated primarily through Discord servers where members directed minor victims to engage in sexually explicit and degrading conduct during video calls.
Cult members captured screenshots and recordings of this abuse material, then distributed it across additional Discord servers and to each other. This coordinated documentation and sharing demonstrates premeditated exploitation designed to maximize harm and extend victimization across digital networks.
Predators Hunted Children on Gaming Platforms
The defendants exploited popular gaming platforms to identify and recruit vulnerable victims. Roblox and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive became hunting grounds where predators located minors and manipulated them into joining Discord servers controlled by the network.
This cross-platform strategy demonstrates how online predators exploit the interconnected nature of digital spaces where children gather. The defendants weaponized the trust and accessibility of gaming communities to gain access to vulnerable populations.
Extortion and Psychological Manipulation as Control Tactics
Beyond direct exploitation, prosecutors the defendants employed sophisticated extortion schemes to maintain control over victims. They threatened to frame adult victims as pedophiles or deployed malware against minor victims, using this “leverage to get the victims to engage in degrading acts on camera.”
Cult members convinced victims to demonstrate loyalty through degrading rituals, including allowing themselves to be “owned” by network members or writing cult member names on their bodies—practices prosecutors termed “fansigning.” This psychological manipulation compounded the physical and sexual abuse.
Federal Law Enforcement Responds with Determination
FBI Director Kash Patel declared that federal authorities will pursue online predators relentlessly. “These five defendants targeted vulnerable children and others via online platforms—they exploited, threatened, and harassed them, and encouraged horrific acts of self-harm,” Patel stated.
“The FBI is sending a message to those individuals involved in criminal activity through violent online networks: you can’t hide in the shadows hovering over a keyboard—we will find and hold accountable those who participate in these illegal and heinous acts,” he added.
Attorney General Bondi Commits to Protecting Children
Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized the Trump administration’s commitment to child protection.
“No child should ever be terrorized or exploited online, and no online platform should give refuge to predators,” Bondi stated. “The Department of Justice will continue to protect children, support survivors, and hold accountable anyone who preys on the vulnerable—online or offline—with every tool we have.”
This prosecution represents the administration’s determination to combat predatory networks that exploit America’s children.
Broader Fight Against Online Child Exploitation Networks
The “Greggy’s Cult” prosecution follows the emergence of the “764” network, another online child-exploitation group that the FBI has launched intensified efforts to dismantle. Members of “764” use Discord, Telegram, and Roblox to recruit and manipulate minors.
These coordinated takedowns signal that federal law enforcement is prioritizing the systematic dismantling of organized child exploitation networks operating across multiple digital platforms.
