Prasan Nepal, a 21-year-old from High Point, North Carolina, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child for his role as a leader of the 764 violent extremist network, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Nepal, who used the online alias “Trippy,” admitted guilt in a case involving the organized exploitation of minors through encrypted online platforms.
The DOJ announced the plea on October 9, 2026, describing it as a significant development in efforts to dismantle 764 and hold its members accountable for crimes against children. Federal authorities allege that the network used coercion, online extortion, and the circulation of abusive material to exploit vulnerable minors in the United States and internationally.
Key details of the case
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Prasan Nepal, 21 |
| Location | High Point, North Carolina |
| Online alias | “Trippy” |
| Network | 764 and its subgroup, 764 Inferno |
| Offense | Conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child |
| Guilty plea announced | October 9, 2026 |
| Potential prison sentence | 15 to 30 years |
| Scheduled sentencing | March 5, 2027 |
| Lead investigative agency | FBI Washington Field Office |
Nepal held a leadership role in the 764 network
According to court documents, Nepal joined 764 around early 2021 and later emerged as one of its leaders. He remained in that position through April 2025, following the arrest of an individual identified in court documents as “Individual 1.”
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Nepal and co-defendant Leonidas Varagiannis, known online as “War,” allegedly served as core leaders of 764 and its subgroup, 764 Inferno. Nepal also used other online aliases, including “Leather Jacket,” “Rebirth,” “Indras Jester,” and “KingKrampus.”
From approximately 2021 through 2025, Nepal and others allegedly used encrypted platforms to coordinate activity, recruit members, enforce group rules, and oversee the creation and distribution of material used to manipulate and coerce victims.
The DOJ describes 764 as a nihilistic violent extremist network associated with exploitation, extortion, psychological abuse, and an ideology that celebrates violence and societal destabilization.
Court documents detail the exploitation of minors
Federal court documents describe an organized system in which members allegedly identified vulnerable children online and used manipulation, threats, and intimidation to compel them to produce abusive material or engage in harmful acts.
According to the DOJ, prospective members were expected to produce material aligned with the network’s abusive aims. Those who complied could gain status within the group, while the circulation of exploitative material helped members recruit others and maintain their standing.
The network also allegedly used digital collections known as “Lorebooks” to archive and exchange child sexual abuse material and other violent content. These collections reportedly functioned as a form of currency within the network.
Investigators identified more than a dozen active co-conspirators associated with Nepal and Varagiannis. According to court documents, at least eight minor victims were exploited across multiple jurisdictions, with some material traced to children as young as 13.
The allegations describe the use of online grooming, extortion, blackmail, and threats to force victims into increasingly harmful situations.
FBI and DOJ officials highlight enforcement efforts
FBI Director Kash Patel said Nepal’s guilty plea marked another step in the agency’s efforts to dismantle 764. Patel stated that arrests related to the network increased by nearly 500% in the previous year, reflecting work by the FBI and state and local law enforcement partners.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said Nepal used his leadership position to coordinate the exploitation of children and that victims’ suffering was treated as a means of gaining status within the network.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia described the plea as an important development in efforts to hold those responsible for online abuse accountable. She also warned that encrypted platforms and online aliases would not prevent investigators from pursuing suspected offenders.
Nepal faces up to 30 years in prison
Nepal was arrested in 2025 and charged alongside Varagiannis as part of an international investigation involving federal law enforcement offices across the United States and authorities abroad.
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Varagiannis is being held at Grevena Prison in northern Greece and is expected to face trial within six months, according to the DOJ release, on charges related to child pornography and participation in a criminal organization.
Nepal faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years. His sentencing is scheduled for March 5, 2027.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, with assistance from the FBI New York and Charlotte field offices, international partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina. Trial attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the DOJ’s National Security Division, along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Shinskie and Janani Iyengar, are prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood supports federal enforcement
The case was brought under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide DOJ initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program coordinates federal, state, and local resources to investigate online offenses, identify victims, and prosecute individuals who exploit children through the internet.
The DOJ said it remains focused on violent extremist networks that use social media and encrypted platforms to target vulnerable people, distribute abusive material, and coerce victims into acts of violence.
To read the original order please visit DOJ (Department of Justice) website