Members of an abhorrent online group have been accused of targeting and extorting minors on a popular social media platform to engage in self-harm and disturbing sexual acts.
The five individuals associated with “Greggy’s Cult” are facing charges for allegedly harassing minors on the messaging app Discord and infiltrating games like Roblox to coerce children as young as 11 into compromising situations. Prosecutors claim that this group of predators orchestrated an online cult where they pushed some victims towards suicide.
The accused individuals, Hector Bermudez, Zachary Dosch, Rumaldo Valdez, David Brilhante, and Camden Rodriguez, are alleged to have collaborated in the creation and distribution of child pornography, as well as in the communication of threats across state lines. These charges were filed in a federal court in Brooklyn, New York.
According to US attorney Joseph Nocella, the defendants exploited a popular online platform to manipulate minors into producing and sharing explicit child pornography, which they then circulated. They not only incited self-harm but also pushed some minors towards suicide, exhibiting abominable behavior that will be vigorously prosecuted.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti expressed strong condemnation for the defendants’ acts of coercion and blackmailing, forcing both children and adults into degrading actions. The indictment sends a firm message that such despicable crimes will not be tolerated, and the Criminal Division is committed to ensuring justice is served.
The defendants are accused of pressuring children to create videos of themselves enduring severe sexual abuse while also promoting self-inflicted harm and suicide. The FBI’s Assistant Director in Charge in New York, Raia, highlighted how the defendants misused online gaming platforms to prey on unsuspecting minors, fulfilling their twisted desires. The FBI vows to relentlessly pursue individuals who exploit innocent victims for their perverse games.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized the importance of protecting children from online exploitation and ensuring that predators find no shelter on digital platforms. The Department of Justice remains dedicated to safeguarding children, supporting survivors, and holding accountable those who target the vulnerable, online or offline.
The defendants are accused of engaging in the production and dissemination of child sexual abuse materials and exploiting both minors and adults from January 2020 to January 2021. They allegedly coerced victims into degrading actions, including claiming ownership by members of the online group.
Allegedly, the victims were coerced into displaying loyalty by inscribing the members’ names on their bodies or holding up signs with the members’ names. The group reportedly identified their victims on Discord servers or gaming platforms like Roblox and encouraged them to carry out demeaning tasks.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Through collaboration between U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood aims to enhance efforts in locating, apprehending, and prosecuting individuals who exploit children online, as well as in identifying and rescuing victims.
