Five men from across the country were arrested today for leading an online child exploitation network called “Greggy’s Cult.” And the crimes they committed are some of the most disturbing child abuse cases federal prosecutors have ever seen.
These weren’t accidental crimes. This was an organized, coordinated, systematic effort to sexually exploit children, blackmail them, and drive some of them toward suicide.
Who Got Arrested
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, have all been arrested and charged with leading “Greggy’s Cult.”
They operated on Discord servers and targeted children on gaming platforms like Roblox and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
What They Actually Did
Between January 2020 and January 2021, these five men and other members of their network:
- Lured children into video calls on Discord and other platforms
- Forced children to perform sexually explicit acts on camera
- Screenshot and recorded the abuse
- Shared the images and videos with each other and across Discord servers
- Blackmailed and extorted victims
- Encouraged children to harm themselves
- Encouraged children to write the group’s name on their bodies as “proof of ownership”
- Used malware to compromise victims’ computers
- Threatened to frame adult victims as pedophiles to leverage compliance
The Depraved Conduct
Here’s what the federal indictment actually says they did:
“The group found victims in Discord servers or on gaming platforms such as Roblox and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.”
“Greggy’s Cult engaged in depraved conduct such as repeatedly encouraging victims to kill themselves or encouraging them to insert household objects into their genitals or anus.”
“The group also engaged in coordinated extortion of victims, both adults and minors, through various means including by attempting to frame adult victims as pedophiles or by sending malware to minor victims’ computers.”
They didn’t just exploit children. They weaponized the exploitation. They turned it into a systematic extortion operation. They deliberately tried to drive vulnerable kids toward self-harm and suicide.
The Scale
This wasn’t five guys. It was a network. Greggy’s Cult didn’t exist in isolation. According to federal prosecutors, prominent members of other exploitation networks—including something called “764”—were also members of Greggy’s Cult.
These networks overlap. They share victims. They share tactics. They share content.
There’s an entire ecosystem of online child predators operating on platforms like Discord, and law enforcement is just now cracking down on the leaders.
Why This Happened on Discord
Discord is a communication platform designed for gamers. But it’s also a platform where predators can operate with relative anonymity. Servers can be private. Communications can be encrypted. Moderation can be inconsistent.
Parents think their kids are just playing video games with friends. What they don’t know is that predators have infiltrated gaming communities and are actively recruiting vulnerable children.
A child joins a Roblox game. Someone invites them to a Discord server. The conversation moves to private messages. Within days, the child is being coerced into sexual exploitation.
It happens fast. It happens on platforms parents think are safe. It happens because there’s an organized network of predators specifically targeting vulnerable kids.
The Victims
We don’t know how many children were victimized. The indictment doesn’t say. But based on the timeframe—January 2020 to January 2021—and the fact that this was a coordinated network with multiple members, we’re probably talking about dozens of victims. Maybe more.
Each one was a real child. Each one had their image and video shared without consent. Each one was extorted. Each one was psychologically manipulated.
Some were encouraged to harm themselves. Some were encouraged toward suicide.
This is the reality of online child exploitation. It’s not abstract. It’s not rare. It’s happening right now on platforms your kids use.
What Happens Next
The five men arrested will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York. They face charges for child exploitation enterprise, conspiracy to produce child pornography, conspiracy to receive and distribute child pornography, and conspiracy to communicate interstate threats.
If convicted, they could spend decades in federal prison.
But here’s what should terrify parents: this is just one network. Greggy’s Cult is one group that got caught. How many others are operating right now without law enforcement attention?
The FBI is asking anyone who was victimized or has information about these defendants to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
What Parents Need to Know
This isn’t about being overprotective. This is about being realistic. Your child could be targeted right now.
Warning signs:
- An older person trying to become friends with your child online
- Someone asking your child to move conversations to private messaging
- Someone asking your child to keep the friendship secret
- Someone asking for photos or videos
- Someone offering gifts or money
- Someone trying to isolate your child from friends and family
If you see these signs, report it immediately to the FBI.
The Bigger Picture
This case is part of “Project Safe Childhood,” a federal initiative launched in 2006 specifically to combat child sexual exploitation online. The fact that we’re still doing this 19 years later shows how persistent the problem is.
Law enforcement is getting better at finding these networks. But they can only do so much. The real protection comes from parents, from platforms, and from communities that refuse to let this happen.
The Bottom Line
Five men just got arrested for running an organized child exploitation and extortion ring. They used Discord. They targeted children on gaming platforms. They systematically exploited, blackmailed, and abused vulnerable kids.
And they’re not alone. There are other networks operating right now.
Talk to your kids about online safety. Monitor their online activity. Know who they’re talking to. Report suspicious behavior.
Because the reality is: predators are organized. They’re coordinated. They’re hunting for vulnerable children.
And they’re operating on the platforms your kids use every day.
