âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Five men associated with “Greggy’s Cult” have been indicted for child exploitation, production and distribution of child pornography, and conspiracy to communicate threats.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Hector Bermudez, Zachary Dosch, Rumaldo Valdez, David Brilhante, and Camden Rodriguez, along with other members of “Greggy’s Cult,” and their victims.
đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: The alleged crimes occurred between 2019 and 2021, with Bermudez residing in the Eastern District of New York during the commission of the offenses.
đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “The defendants and other members of Greggy’s Cult captured images of the sexually explicit conduct and shared it to other Discord servers and amongst themselves,” prosecutors say.
🎯IMPACT: The indictment highlights the dangers of online platforms being exploited by predators targeting children, prompting calls for stricter protections.
Federal prosecutors have charged five men in connection with an online exploitation ring dubbed “Greggy’s Cult.” The defendants from Queens, New York; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Honolulu, Hawaii; San Diego, California; and Longmont, Colorado, are accused of running a criminal enterprise that coerced children as young as 11 into producing explicit videos. Authorities say the group used Discord servers and gaming platforms like Roblox and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive to groom and blackmail victims.
According to the indictment, the men forced victims to perform degrading acts, sometimes under the threat of violence or exposure, then recorded and distributed those videos. In some cases, victims were manipulated into writing cult members’ names on their bodies or professing loyalty; in others, they were pressured to self-harm or kill themselves. The defendants are charged with child exploitation, conspiracy to produce and distribute child pornography, and conspiracy to communicate interstate threats.
“The defendants and other members of Greggy’s Cult captured images of the sexually explicit conduct and shared it to other Discord servers and amongst themselves,” prosecutors allege. The abuse reportedly took place over several years, from 2019 through 2021.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said, “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.” Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel added, “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.”
The case against Greggy’s Cult is not an isolated incident; experts and reports have repeatedly highlighted how social media sites and online games have become tools for predators. For instance, on platforms like Instagram, researchers found a “vast pedophile network” whose accounts used explicit hashtags and recommendation algorithms to connect buyers and sellers of child sexual abuse material.
Similarly, the gaming platform Roblox, used by Greggy’s Cult, has been repeatedly accused in lawsuits of failing to protect children from predators who exploit its chat and game-creation features. Critics argue that the combination of a young user base, insufficient age verification, and easy access to private messages makes many popular platforms a dangerous “digital playground” for predators.
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