A Queens man and 4 different members of a twisted on-line cult terrorized and blackmailed kids on gaming platforms into performing sick sexual acts on digital camera – then gave their terrified victims directions on how you can kill themselves, federal prosecutors introduced Tuesday.
The 5 deranged males belonged to “Greggy’s Cult,” which exploited Discord, a messaging app, and gaming networks, corresponding to Roblox and Counter-Strike: International Offensive, to prey on kids 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 youngster ought to ever be terrorized or exploited on-line, and no on-line platform ought to give refuge to predators,” US Legal professional Common Pam Bondi mentioned in an announcement.
“The Division of Justice will proceed to guard kids, assist survivors, and maintain accountable anybody who preys on the susceptible — on-line or offline — with each device we now have.”
Prosecutors mentioned the accused pedophiles held video calls on the digital platforms, coercing kids nationwide to carry out sexually express acts – generally 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 mentioned.
The accused predators allegedly continued their disturbing scheme, urging a number of victims to kill themselves – together with one who was informed to overdose or grasp 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 mentioned.
The youngest sufferer focused by the cult was 11 years outdated, in response to courtroom paperwork.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 mentioned in an announcement.
“The NYPD and our federal companions have been targeted on uncovering and dismantling on-line teams that prey on kids, and at present’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 youngster pornography, and conspiracy to speak interstate threats, prosecutors mentioned.
The FBI is urging potential victims to come back ahead by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
