A 21-year-old Greek-American who allegedly helped run an online child exploitation network has been arrested in Thessaloniki on an international warrant, officials said Wednesday.
The suspect, identified by U.S. authorities as Leonidas Varagiannis, was arrested Tuesday. An international arrest warrant and extradition request were filed by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Varagiannis is accused of being involved in the U.S.-based criminal online group known as 764. According to U.S. authorities, the group coerced children into committing acts of violence and sexual abuse, which were recorded and distributed online.
A second man, identified as 20-year-old Prasan Nepal, was arrested on April 22 in North Carolina in connection with the same investigation, U.S. authorities said.
According to the affidavit unsealed in the District of Columbia, 764 is a violent online network that seeks to destroy civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors. The 764 network’s accelerationist goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the U.S. Government.
“These defendants are accused of orchestrating one of the most heinous online child exploitation enterprises we have ever encountered — a network built on terror, abuse, and the deliberate targeting of children,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will find those who exploit and abuse children, prosecute them, and dismantle every part of their operation.”
“These defendants allegedly recruited others to exploit children and created a guide for the disgusting online content they wanted,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Let me be very clear about our efforts. The FBI and our partners are determined to protect juveniles from predators, and we will track down and hold accountable those who engage in these criminal activities. We will continue to work closely with our partners at the Department of Justice to bring justice to the victims of such cruel abuse.”
“The allegations in this case are not only disturbing, they are also every parent’s nightmare,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “The number of victims allegedly exploited by these defendants, and the depths of depravity are staggering. Justice demands that our response be swift in order to ensure public safety, hold the wrongdoers accountable, and bring the victims some sense of closure so they can heal.”
Varagiannis and Nepal allegedly ordered their victims to commit acts of self-harm and engaged in psychological torment and extreme violence against minors. The affidavit alleges that the group targeted vulnerable children online, coercing them into producing degrading and explicit content under threat and manipulation. This content includes “cut signs” and “blood signs” through which young minors would cut symbols into their bodies.
Varagiannis, a resident of Thessaloniki, appeared Wednesday before an appellate prosecutor. He denied the allegations and formally opposed extradition, according to Greek judicial authorities and his lawyer.
“Throughout the period during which the alleged offenses took place, he was residing in Greece. Therefore, Greek law and courts have jurisdiction over the case, and his extradition is explicitly prohibited,” his lawyer, Xanthippi Moysidou, told The Associated Press.
The suspect will remain in custody until a court of appeals rules on the U.S. extradition request in the coming weeks.
