A Queens man and 4 different members of a twisted on-line cult terrorized and blackmailed youngsters on gaming platforms into performing sick sexual acts on digicam – then gave their terrified victims directions on the best way to kill themselves, federal prosecutors introduced Tuesday.
The 5 deranged males belonged to “Greggy’s Cult,” which exploited Discord, a messaging app, and gaming networks, resembling Roblox and Counter-Strike: World Offensive, to prey on youngsters as younger as 11 from 2019 to 2021, in response to the US Legal professional’s Workplace for the Japanese District of New York.
Hector Bermudez, 29, of Queens, was arrested Tuesday and arraigned in federal courtroom.
“No little one ought to ever be terrorized or exploited on-line, and no on-line platform ought to give refuge to predators,” US Legal professional Normal Pam Bondi stated in a press release.
“The Division of Justice will proceed to guard youngsters, assist survivors, and maintain accountable anybody who preys on the weak — on-line or offline — with each device we’ve got.”
Prosecutors stated the accused pedophiles held video calls on the digital platforms, coercing youngsters nationwide to carry out sexually express acts – typically with family objects – which they recorded or screenshot after which circulated on-line or amongst themselves.
The suspects then pressured victims to mark their our bodies with cult members’ names and beg for forgiveness on video, declaring themselves “owned” to show their loyalty, the disturbing courtroom docs stated.
The accused predators allegedly continued their disturbing scheme, urging a number of victims to kill themselves – together with one who was instructed to overdose or hold themself from a ceiling fan.
The wicked cult used malware to lock minors out of their computer systems till they complied with the group’s twisted calls for, authorities stated.
The youngest sufferer focused by the cult was 11 years previous, in response to courtroom paperwork.
“This case underscores how simply predators can embed themselves within the digital platforms that minors use,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated in a press release.
“The NYPD and our federal companions have been centered on uncovering and dismantling on-line teams that prey on youngsters, and in the present day’s indictment displays the progress of that work.”
Along with Bermudez, the feds additionally indicted 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.
Valdez is already serving time on one other federal case.
Every suspect is charged with sexual exploitation of a minor, distribution of kid pornography, entry with intent to view little one pornography, and conspiracy to speak interstate threats, prosecutors stated.
The FBI is urging potential victims to return ahead by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
