BREAKING NEWS – Tuesday, March 24, 2026 – Europol has announced charges against Prasan Nepal, a 20-year-old individual known by his online alias “Trippy,” in connection with a sprawling international cybercrime and child exploitation enterprise. Nepal, who was arrested in April 2025 in North Carolina, USA, is alleged to be a key leader of the ‘764’ subgroup, a nihilistic violent extremist (NVE) network operating within the larger ‘The Com’ collective. The charges highlight a disturbing nexus between sophisticated cybercrime and the extreme exploitation of vulnerable minors across multiple continents.
Prasan Nepal stands accused of operating an international child exploitation enterprise, directing a campaign of grooming, manipulation, and extortion against children as young as 13. As a leader of the ‘764 Inferno’ subgroup, Nepal allegedly coerced victims into producing “degrading and explicit content,” including child sexual abuse material (CSAM) featuring “cut signs” and “blood signs” carved into their bodies. The network also reportedly ordered victims to engage in acts of self-harm, psychological torment, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, and even threatened violence, suicide, and murder. These horrific materials were compiled into digital “Lorebooks” and traded as currency within the ‘764’ network to recruit new members and maintain status. Nepal is also accused of instructing other members in grooming tactics. The criminal enterprise is believed to have operated from late 2020 through early 2025, with Nepal emerging as a leader after the founder’s arrest in August 2021.
While specific monetary figures for Prasan Nepal’s direct involvement in ransomware attacks are not available, the scale of the human exploitation is immense. The Department of Justice alleges that Nepal and his co-conspirator, Leonidas Varagiannis, exploited at least eight minor victims across multiple jurisdictions. The FBI has opened investigations into 250 individuals affiliated with ‘764’ and similar networks. In 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline received over 1,300 reports connected to groups like ‘764,’ a staggering increase of more than 200% from the previous year. Europol’s “Project Compass” has already identified 62 victims and directly safeguarded four from ‘The Com’s’ attacks, demonstrating the widespread impact of these groups. The broader ‘The Com’ collective has been linked to high-profile ransomware attacks against major corporations, including Marks & Spencer, Co-op, and Harrods in April 2025, highlighting the dual nature of their criminal operations.
Who Is Prasan Nepal?
Prasan Nepal, 20, known online as “Trippy,” is a central figure in the ‘764’ nihilistic violent extremist network. His nationality has not been explicitly stated, but his arrest in North Carolina, USA, suggests a connection to the United States. There is no information available regarding any legitimate profession or association with a conventional company or organization. His alleged rise to leadership within ‘764’ after the founder’s arrest in August 2021 paints a picture of a sophisticated and deeply entrenched cybercriminal.
The investigation into Prasan Nepal and the ‘764’ network has been a massive, multi-agency international effort. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with all 55 field offices involved, has been actively pursuing these groups since at least 2023. Europol launched its year-long “Project Compass” in January 2025, bringing together law enforcement from 28 countries to combat ‘The Com’ collective. The U.S. Department of Justice announced charges against Nepal and Varagiannis as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative targeting child sexual exploitation. The FBI’s Washington Field Office, New York Field Office, and Charlotte Field Office played crucial roles in the probe and Nepal’s apprehension. The fraud was uncovered through extensive investigations into the online activities of ‘The Com’ and its subgroups, with Discord reportedly identifying ‘764’ and its users in 2021 and reporting them to law enforcement.
“The exploitation of children for such horrific material, combined with the nihilistic ideology of groups like ‘764,’ represents an alarming evolution in cybercrime. These networks not only seek financial gain but aim to destabilize society through the corruption of our most vulnerable populations.”
Prasan Nepal is charged with operating an international child exploitation enterprise and is facing a potential life sentence if convicted. Following his arrest on April 22, 2025, in North Carolina, he had a court appearance on April 30, 2025. Court hearings in Washington, D.C., are pending for both Nepal and his alleged co-conspirator, Leonidas Varagiannis, who was arrested in Greece on April 28, 2025. While no information is available regarding his trial status, conviction, or any asset freezes at this time, the ongoing “Project Compass” operation continues to yield results, with Europol announcing 30 arrests and 179 suspects tied to ‘The Com’ in February 2026. This signals continued aggressive action by law enforcement against these dangerous networks. For more information on related fraud investigations, readers can visit our archives.
The disturbing case of Prasan Nepal underscores the critical need for vigilance against online threats. Parents and guardians should be acutely aware of several red flags: the recruitment of minors on gaming and social media platforms, especially those targeting vulnerable individuals aged 11-25 with mental health issues; significant changes in a child’s behavior; exposure to online extremist ideologies seeking to destabilize society; and the use of encrypted messaging applications for secretive communications. The FBI has warned about subgroups within ‘The Com’ offering “violence-as-a-service,” indicating a dangerous escalation beyond purely online activities. Open dialogue with children about their online interactions and monitoring for signs of distress or suspicious activity are paramount in protecting them from these insidious networks. Always report any suspicious online activity to local law enforcement or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
