764 is a violent extremist group targeting children online, blackmailing them into committing violence and even encouraging them to commit suicide. Lisa Fletcher digs into the fast-evolving movement that U.S. authorities now consider a top-tier terrorism threat.

The following is a transcript of a report from “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson.”
Watch the video by clicking the link at the end of the page.

Tamia Woods, co-founder, Do It For James Foundation: I stand before you as a mother whose only child was taken by something so preventable, so cruel, and so ignored that it should shake every person in this room to their core.

In December, Tamia Woods testified before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. The Ohio mother is carrying the pain—and now a cause—from the loss of her son, who committed suicide at 17 after falling victim to a financial sextortion plot on Instagram over three years ago.

Tamia Woods, co-founder, Do It For James Foundation: One of the messages sent to my son, and I quote, “I am more determined to rot your life than to make it a waste, a trash can, a shame, a dishonor, a hell, a real disaster, a hell on earth.” And I remind you that I am heartless. I have no pity to ride a life as well as yours.

For over 19 hours, 17-year-old James was tormented by a pitiless entity most parents have never heard of.

It’s called 764—an online network tied to child exploitation and, experts say, a brand of extremism built around one idea: harm.

Dr. Simon Purdue, Violent Extremism Threat Monitor: 764 is a fairly loosely defined and loosely brought together network of nihilistic violent extremists. It is a child abuse network. Primarily, these individuals operate online, where they are interacting with young users, exploiting those users through the use of blackmail, threats of violence, and pushing them to the point of either self-harm or other damaging behaviors.

Dr. Simon Purdue is the director of the Violent Extremism Threat Monitor in Washington, D.C. He says 764 targets kids they see as easy prey.

Dr. Simon Purdue, Violent Extremism Threat Monitor: They look for insecurities, expressions of depressive thoughts, suicidality, and other forms of vulnerability that are being expressed in these online spaces.

Lisa Fletcher: Why?

Dr. Simon Purdue, Violent Extremism Threat Monitor: Because they get a kick out of this. It’s tied to a movement called No Lives Matter, and it’s just, at its very core, violent, and they are pursuing suffering. That’s ultimately what they want to see—is suffering.

The name 764 reportedly traces back to the network’s founder, a Texas-based teenager from the Houston area, with an area code of 764. The founder, Bradley Cadenhead, later pleaded guilty in a child pornography case and is now serving an 80-year prison sentence.

But Purdue says this isn’t a traditional “group” with a leader or a headquarters.

Dr. Simon Purdue, Violent Extremism Threat Monitor: Because of the almost leaderless nature of this kind of space online, it’s a constantly evolving space.

That decentralization makes it hard for investigators—and even harder for parents—to know who’s really on the other side of a screen.

Lisa Fletcher: What do you think would shock parents most about how quickly their child can get pulled into something like 764?

Dr. Simon Purdue, Violent Extremism Threat Monitor: This isn’t happening in spaces that you would see as violent. This is happening in very mainstream spaces that seem, on the surface, to be quite benign and harmless. Roblox and Minecraft—any space where there’s online community and online communication—is very problematic and harmful to young users.

Purdue says cases like the death of James Woods show what this network is designed to do.

Dr. Simon Purdue, Violent Extremism Threat Monitor: And it’s an evolution of cyberbullying to the point of sexual exploitation, blackmail, and self-harm.

Lisa Fletcher: But the main goal of this group is to get kids to harm or kill themselves.

Dr. Simon Purdue, Violent Extremism Threat Monitor: That would be the end goal.

But it’s not all of the equation.

Dr. Simon Purdue, Violent Extremism Threat Monitor: It does include sexual abuse materials and the production of sexual abuse materials as well.

A Department of Justice official tells us the DOJ is investigating more than three dozen 764 cases across the country.

On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are now warning the country is behind.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA): From a parent’s point of view, why is it important to make these sextortion crimes illegal under federal law?

Tamia Woods, co-founder, Do It For James Foundation: It’s laws like this that would back our children and influence them to speak up and let them know that they’re being victimized. And people need to be held accountable on top of that. They need to know that they shouldn’t be comfortable with doing the things that they’re doing. Right now, they’re comfortable, and you see more and more people being victimized because of that.

But Purdue warns awareness alone isn’t enough.

Dr. Simon Purdue, Violent Extremism Threat Monitor: Just knowing that they’re out there doesn’t mean that you’re going to be aware every time someone pretends to be a fellow 16-year-old and tries to open a dialogue.

Because the first move isn’t a threat—it’s a conversation.

In Washington, D.C., I’m Lisa Fletcher for Full Measure.

Watch video here.