Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Baden-Württemberg Teen Held in Probe of '764' Online Abuse Network

Investigators describe grooming on gaming platforms that coerced youths into self-harm.

Overview

  • Authorities said a 16-year-old was arrested in early October in Baden-Württemberg and remains in pretrial detention on suspicion of links to a splinter group of the network known as 764.
  • The suspect is accused of membership in a criminal organization and dangerous bodily harm tied to coerced self-injury, and a police spokesman said he also possessed child sexual abuse material.
  • Investigators reported the teenager contacted eleven potential victims, with five cases resulting in self-harm.
  • Officials detailed tactics that included building trust in online games and pressuring victims to film injuries or create “Wall” or “Bloodsigns” with group symbols or usernames.
  • The case connects to a broader investigation that includes a Hamburg murder indictment against a user known as “White Tiger,” as police work to identify additional members and further victims.