House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement Chairman Clay Higgins (R-La.) are examining the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) capabilities to track and apprehend the violent online network known as “764,” and other perpetrators using similar tactics. In a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, Chairman Comer and Subcommittee Chairman Higgins request a staff-level briefing to understand the FBI’s investigations and apprehensions of those in the 764 network.

“Reporting indicates the FBI has opened more than 250 investigations tied to the group, which preys on children and teenagers on popular online platforms, including Roblox, and coerces victims into acts of self-harm, production of child sexual abuse material, harm to animals, and even suicide,” wrote the lawmakers.

Founded in 2021, the 764 network is an extensive, decentralized, online criminal network that primarily exploits vulnerable children through computer games and other online platforms. While multiple members of the network have been arrested in recent years, thousands of members are still spread across the globe abusing children. Members of the group use threats, blackmail, and manipulation to coerce victims into filming acts of violence, where the footage is then shared among members of the network to continue to extort and exert control over victims.

“The disturbing tactics attributed to this network—grooming, manipulating, and blackmailing of minors—underscore a serious and continuously evolving threat to children and families across the United States. These harms demand rigorous oversight and an evaluation of whether existing federal countermeasures are effective and adequately resourced to combat these elusive online perpetrators,” continued the lawmakers.

Read the letter to FBI Director Patel here or below.

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The Honorable Kash Patel
Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20535-0001

Dear Director Patel:

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is examining the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) capabilities to track and apprehend the violent online network known as “764,” as well as perpetrators using similar tactics. Reporting indicates the FBI has opened more than 250 investigations tied to the group, which preys on children and teenagers on popular online platforms, including Roblox, and coerces victims into acts of self-harm, production of child sexual abuse material, harm to animals, and even suicide. The Committee is requesting a staff-level briefing to understand the FBI’s investigations and apprehensions of those in the 764 network.

The disturbing tactics attributed to this network—grooming, manipulating, and blackmailing of minors—underscore a serious and continuously evolving threat to children and families across the United States. These harms demand rigorous oversight and an evaluation of whether existing federal countermeasures are effective and adequately resourced to combat these elusive online perpetrators.

To assist the Committee in its investigation, we request a staff-level briefing from the FBI to occur as soon as possible, but no later than February 24, 2026. Please be prepared to brief the Committee on the following:

1. An overview of investigative efforts taken to date detailing the ability to track and apprehend online extremists targeting minors;
2. The status of resource allocation dedicated specifically to investigating online child exploitation and violent networks such as “764”;
3. The coordination with additional authorities, including local law enforcement, the Department of Justice, and child-protection entities that may also be receiving reports of online threats against children;
4. The current challenges the FBI is facing in these investigations, including technological obstacles, platform cooperation, and legal constraints, and what is being done to overcome them; and,
5. Possible Congressional action which would assist the FBI in apprehending perpetrators exploiting and harming children online.

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the principal oversight committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X. To schedule the briefing or to ask any related follow-up questions, please contact the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Majority staff at (202) 225-5074. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

James Comer
Chairman
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Clay Higgins
Chairman
Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement

cc: The Honorable Robert Garcia, Ranking Member
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

The Honorable Summer Lee, Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement

The post (READ) Comer, Higgins probe FBI handling of violent online ‘764’ network appeared first on Sharyl Attkisson.

 

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