Federal Authorities Warn About “Nihilistic Violent Extremist” Group Emerging In Tennessee

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The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –

A mother in Lebanon, TN, said her daughter was the victim of a predatory online group called 764, which the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently labeled “Nihilistic Violent Extremists” as a rash of similar incidents have happened in the state and across the country.

On Monday, Crystal Finley spoke to WKRN, telling the outlet her teenage daughter was targeted online and manipulated to hurt herself. Reportedly, the 764 member posed as an online friend to the 14-year-old, but later “groomed” her to produce and send images and video, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and violent acts.

“It goes as far as when she would self-harm, they were telling her a message to write in her blood,” Finley said. The mother attempted to more closely monitor her daughter’s online activity, but she said the group always found a way back to her child. 

The FBI first called the group a national security threat in September, saying the network is one of the biggest emerging threats, and the agency released a new statement against the group earlier this month.

It warned, “764 is a violent online group made-up of individuals who seek to coerce and manipulate children into engaging in unspeakable acts against themselves, animals, and other children, even suicide.”

Tammi Laskowski with the FBI Supervisory Special Unit elaborated on the type of acts the group attempts to have children perform which include “producing grotesque images, live-streaming violent criminal behavior, animal crushing, animal cruelty, and the self-harm can include self-cutting, suicide, and possible murder.”

The warning from the agency followed the Nov. 20 federal indictment of an alleged 764 member, 20-year-old Maryland resident Erik Lee Madison, on three counts of sexually exploiting a child, coercing or enticing a child, and one count of cyberstalking.

Between Nov. 2024 and Sept. 2025, Madison is accused of persuading, inducing, enticing, and coercing three minor females to engage in sexually explicit and prohibited conduct, including “a visual depiction of the sexually explicit conduct”. 

And earlier this week, another Tennessee man was charged with child exploitation for allegedly using the online video platform Roblox to entice a 13-year-old girl to send him pictures and videos of her performing acts of self-harm and engaging in sexually explicit acts.

Cayden Newberry of Johnson City faces one count each of knowingly enticing a minor into sexual activity to produce visual depictions, knowingly enticing a minor into engaging in sexual activity using a facility of interstate commerce, and knowingly receiving child sexual abuse material using a facility of interstate commerce. 

The investigation against Newberry began in mid-September in New Jersey, where the alleged victim lives, following a complaint to local police by the victim’s parents. Should he be found guilty, Newberry faces minimum sentences of 15 years, 10 years, and 5 years respectively for each of the three charges.

Specifically calling 764 a “decentralized network of nihilistic violent extremists”, FBI agent Gretchen Roberts detailed how the group often conducts “coordinated extortions of teenagers, blackmailing the victims to comply with the group’s demands.”

They usually target victims between 10 and 17 years old, often grooming them through a trusting or romantic relationship which is followed by “manipulating and coercing them into engaging in harmful behavior designed to shame or isolate them.” The group member then threatens to share the content with family or friends, or post it publicly, to ensure continued cooperation by the victims.

764 members have even resorted to tactics like swatting (fake 911 calls to a person’s residence designed to send armed officers to the address) and doxing (publishing personally identifiable information on the internet) to force their victims to continue providing them with the sexual or harmful content.

Roberts also noted the persistence of the group members, alleging that Newberry moved communications with the victim from Roblox to a phone he supposedly sent her through DoorDash, using several apps including Telegram, Discord, and Instagram. When the victim finally learned about 764 methods and tried to block Newberry, he threatened to extort her unless she committed additional acts on camera, which were often viewed by several other adults.

“Extremists control their victims through building immense fear, and many have the end-goal of forcing victims into live-streaming their own self-harm, or suicide, for the network’s entertainment or threat actor’s own sense of fame,” Roberts wrote.

In April, the DOJ reported the arrest of two alleged 764 leaders who were in Greece and North Carolina when apprehended. Officials say the group’s ultimate goal is “to destroy civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors. The 764 network’s accelerationist goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the United States Government.”

DOJ officials discussed the group on Thursday during a panel about 764 hosted by George Washing University’s Program on Extremism. Justin Sher, a trial attorney with the Justice Department’s National Security Division, said, “I don’t think Stephen King is dark enough to come up with some of the stuff that these kids are coming up with.” 

His colleague James Donnelly concurred, saying the group “is as serious a threat as you can imagine. And they’re trying to metastasize evil.”

Authorities are urging parents to diligently monitor their children’s online presence, have discussions about the dangers of these kinds of predators, and watch for warning signs such as changes in mood, isolation, and injuries to themselves or pets.

About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.