DOJ Charges Five in 'Greggy’s Cult' Case Accused of Coercing Minors to Self‑Harm

Federal prosecutors have unsealed an indictment charging five men with operating an online child‑exploitation enterprise known as "Greggy’s Cult," which investigators say used Discord and gaming platforms to coerce minors into sexually explicit acts and self‑harm.

Who was charged and where

The indictment names five defendants who were arrested and are expected to be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York:

• Hector Bermudez, 29, Queens, New York
• Zachary Dosch, 26, Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Rumaldo Valdez, 22, Honolulu, Hawaii
• David Brilhante, 28, San Diego, California
• Camden Rodriguez, 22, Longmont, Colorado

Allegations and charges

The indictment alleges the defendants operated between January 2020 and January 2021 and conspired to produce, receive and distribute child pornography, as well as to communicate interstate threats. Prosecutors say members recruited victims on Discord and gaming platforms such as Roblox and Counter‑Strike: Global Offensive, directing minors on video calls to perform sexually explicit or degrading acts.

Investigators allege the group repeatedly encouraged some victims to kill themselves and coerced others into inserting household objects into their genitals or anuses. According to the indictment, cult members captured screenshots and screen recordings of those acts, then shared the images and videos with other servers and participants.

Prosecutors also allege a pattern of extortion: at times the group attempted to frame adult victims as sexual predators or used malware to seize control of minors' devices and leverage further coercion. The defendant members allegedly compelled victims to perform rituals of humiliation — including being declared "owned" by a cult member or writing members' names on their bodies in a practice described as "fansigning."

"These five defendants allegedly targeted vulnerable children and others via online platforms — they exploited, threatened, and harassed them, and encouraged horrific acts of self‑harm," FBI Director Kash Patel said. "The FBI is sending a message to those individuals involved in criminal activity through violent online networks: you can’t hide in the shadows hovering over a keyboard — we will find and hold accountable those who participate in these illegal and heinous acts."

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti called the alleged conduct an "unspeakable act of coercing and blackmailing children and adults to engage in self‑harm and other degrading acts." U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. described the behavior as "monstrous," saying some children were "at times driven to the brink of suicide."

Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized that "no child should ever be terrorized or exploited online, and no online platform should give refuge to predators," adding that the Department of Justice will work to protect children, support survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable.

Context

Prosecutors say "Greggy’s Cult" predates another online exploitation group known as the "764" network, which has also been the focus of intensified law enforcement efforts. Officials warn that mainstream chat and gaming platforms can be misused by predators to recruit, manipulate and exploit vulnerable young people.

The five defendants now face federal prosecution on the charges detailed in the indictment. Authorities encourage anyone with information about online exploitation to contact law enforcement immediately.