764 Network Leader Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation
Prasan Nepal, a 21-year-old man known online as “Trippy,” has pleaded guilty to conspiring to sexually exploit minors as part of the global online extremist network known as 764. The guilty plea, entered in federal court in Washington, D.C., on October 8, 2026, marks a significant development in a multinational investigation into a network accused of exploiting vulnerable young people through online manipulation, threats, extortion and violence. Nepal faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of 30 years. His sentencing is scheduled for March 5, 2027.
Federal prosecutors identified Nepal as a senior leader of 764 and its inner subgroup, 764 Inferno. According to court documents, the network operated across the United States and internationally, using encrypted messaging platforms and online communities to recruit members, identify vulnerable victims and coordinate abusive activities. Investigators described an organized structure in which members gained status by producing, collecting and circulating exploitative material and other violent content.
Nepal joined 764 around early 2021 and eventually assumed a leadership role that prosecutors say he maintained until April 2025. He used several online aliases, including “Leather Jacket,” “Rebirth,” “Indras Jester” and “KingKrampus,” but was most widely known within 764 Inferno as “Trippy.” Prosecutors allege that he worked with co-defendant Leonidas Varagiannis, known as “War,” to manage the subgroup, direct members and coordinate its activities.
The investigation describes a pattern of online grooming and coercion targeting minors. According to the government’s account, members used social media and encrypted communication services to identify children and teenagers who might be particularly vulnerable to manipulation. They allegedly developed relationships with victims, obtained personal information and used threats or blackmail to pressure them into producing explicit or degrading material and complying with increasingly harmful demands.
Court documents describe a system in which exploitative material was treated as a form of digital currency. Members allegedly compiled images, videos and other material into collections referred to as “lorebooks.” These collections were exchanged, stored in encrypted digital repositories and used to recruit new members or establish status within the group. Prosecutors say the network’s internal culture rewarded increasingly extreme conduct and encouraged members to produce material intended to demonstrate their commitment.
The government’s account also alleges that members used threats and intimidation to force victims into acts of self-harm, sexual exploitation and other dangerous behavior. Some victims were threatened with exposure of personal information or existing material if they refused to comply. Prosecutors said the alleged conduct affected at least eight minor victims across multiple jurisdictions, with some material traced to children as young as 13. The investigation covered activity extending from late 2020 through early 2025.
Nepal’s guilty plea is significant because it establishes his admission of guilt to the specific federal conspiracy offense, rather than leaving that charge to be decided at trial. However, the plea should not be interpreted as a judicial determination that every allegation concerning every member of 764 has been proven. Other defendants face separate proceedings, and their legal responsibility must be determined individually.
The case first became public in April 2025, when U.S. authorities announced charges against Nepal and Varagiannis for their alleged leadership of the 764 Inferno subgroup. Nepal was arrested in North Carolina, while Varagiannis, a U.S. citizen residing in Greece, was arrested there. Authorities described the arrests as part of an international effort to disrupt an online exploitation enterprise.
The investigation has involved federal law enforcement agencies and international partners. The Justice Department’s case was brought through its Project Safe Childhood initiative, which coordinates federal, state and local efforts to investigate and prosecute online child sexual exploitation. The case also involved cooperation among multiple FBI field offices and authorities outside the United States, reflecting the cross-border nature of the alleged activity.
The broader 764 network has attracted law enforcement attention because of its use of online platforms to facilitate coercion and abuse. Authorities have warned that networks of this kind may target children through social media, gaming communities, messaging applications and other online spaces. Their activities can combine cyberstalking, extortion, sexual exploitation and threats of physical harm, making investigations difficult when participants use aliases, encrypted channels and international connections.
For victims and their families, the allegations illustrate how online abuse can extend beyond the initial exchange of messages or images. Once perpetrators obtain sensitive material, they may use it repeatedly to threaten victims, demand further content or pressure them into additional harmful acts. The circulation of exploitative material can also make it difficult to contain the damage after an initial incident.
Nepal’s sentencing will determine the specific prison term imposed within the statutory range applicable to his guilty plea. The court is scheduled to consider the case on March 5, 2027. The potential sentence reflects the seriousness of the federal offense, although the final term will be determined through the judicial sentencing process.
The prosecution also continues beyond Nepal. Varagiannis faces separate proceedings in Greece, while investigators have identified additional individuals associated with the network. The outcome of those cases will depend on the evidence and applicable law in each proceeding.
Nepal’s guilty plea is therefore an important milestone in efforts to hold the network’s alleged leadership accountable. It demonstrates the use of federal criminal law to prosecute organized online exploitation and underscores the role of international cooperation in cases where victims, suspects, digital evidence and communications may be spread across several countries. The next major step in Nepal’s case will be his sentencing, while other proceedings may further clarify the scope of the network and the responsibility of additional participants.
Key Legal Outcome
- Prasan Nepal pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sexually exploit minors.
- Nepal faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison.
- His sentencing is scheduled for March 5, 2027.
- Prosecutors identified Nepal as a senior leader of 764 and its subgroup, 764 Inferno.
- The investigation identified at least eight minor victims allegedly exploited across multiple jurisdictions.
Why It Matters
- The guilty plea marks a major development in the prosecution of an online exploitation network.
- The case demonstrates how digital platforms can be used to groom, threaten and extort minors.
- International cooperation is important when suspects, victims and digital evidence cross borders.
- The prosecution highlights the serious federal penalties associated with child-exploitation conspiracies.
- The case reinforces the need for coordinated investigations into organized online abuse.
