Incels Podcast – “The 764 Network”

Date: November 5, 2025
Produced by: KT Studios & iHeartPodcasts
Host: Courtney Armstrong
Featured Expert: David Ryan, Former Chief of the National Security Division at the U.S. Attorney's Office, Los Angeles

Episode Overview

This episode delves deep into the disturbing nexus of online incel communities and a newer, more dangerous network called "764." Through expert testimony, particularly from veteran prosecutor David Ryan, the episode provides a sobering look at how these groups foment anger, incite violence and sexual abuse, and manipulate vulnerable youth. The podcast is both a chilling exposé and a call to action, emphasizing awareness, intervention, and the importance of reporting suspicious online activity.

Note: Descriptions contain references to violent and graphic material, especially with regards to exploitative behaviors targeting minors.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Understanding Incel Communities

• Overview: Incels, or "involuntary celibates," are primarily men who feel rejected and isolated, blaming women and society—sometimes resulting in online harassment, hate speech, and, in extreme cases, violence.
• Radicalization Pathways: David Ryan details how incels are often radicalized online, moving from “edgy” content to genuine, dangerous extremism.

  “We have had several cases where individuals were radicalized online... exposed to increasingly extremist ideas and ideologies. Maybe it starts as exploring what they would call edgy or extreme or gore content... then over time, it moves more and more towards reality for them.” — David Ryan [05:46]

2. Law Enforcement's Perspective

• Jurisdiction & Prosecution: The National Security Division handles cases involving terrorism, domestic violent extremism, and cyber crimes, including those with gender-based motivations like incel activity.

• Rising Threats Online:

  “Starting in around 2015, over the past 10 years, there has been an increase in these cases ... as more of the world moved online and into social media, we saw... a rise in that sort of criminal threatening activity.” — David Ryan [05:01]

• Thin Line Between Speech & Crime:

  “Certainly there is a line between first amendment protected activity and criminal activity. Law enforcement gets involved when somebody crosses that line and starts directly threatening or harassing or stalking or victimizing somebody.” — David Ryan [06:29]

3. Acceleration of Violence

• Shrinking Radicalization Window:

  “The window of time between... radicalization to mobilization has been shrinking... Now you’re seeing that time shrink to less than [months], maybe weeks or days, which again, just lessens the time for law enforcement...” — David Ryan [07:34]

4. Incel Ideology and Community Norms

• Misogynistic Beliefs: The more extreme incels idealize control and dominance over women, valorize violence, and view feminism as a threat.

  “The ideology does hold that through development of feminism, women have gained too much agency and power in the so-called sexual marketplace ... the 'right' way would instead be that men should control that marketplace.” — David Ryan [08:27]

• Valorizing Sexual Violence:

  “A more extreme version of the ideology would sanction and seek to legalize rape sexual assault. … valorizes prior members who have committed mass shootings of women...” — David Ryan [09:16]

5. Case Study – Carl Bennington

• Pattern of Abuse: Bennington, influenced by incel ideology, relentlessly stalked and threatened teenage girls online, escalating from manipulative messages to violent threats.

  • Notable Quotes from Bennington’s Messages:

    “Women’s narcissism has been getting out of hand. They need to be put back in their fucking place.”
    “Don’t fucking squirm or you’ll get slapped around. I own you now and you’re going to do as I say because I’m fucking God.” — David Ryan reading Bennington [12:09]

• Escalation from Manipulation to Threats: Bennington’s pattern shows a shift from attempts at online flirting to graphic, controlling, and terrifying threats when rejected.

  • Example:

    “I’m outside your window watching you. You better be on the lookout if you know what’s good for you. Only God can save you, slut.” — David Ryan [13:46]

• Law Enforcement Indicators:

  “When he began talking to them about being outside of their house or being outside of their bedroom... indicates in his mind that’s where he was going...” — David Ryan [14:57]

• Outcome: Bennington pled guilty to cyberstalking, served 18 months in prison, followed by mental health treatment and strict monitoring.

6. Motivations for Public Attacks & Manifestos

• Desire for Notoriety: Many online extremists now value broadcasting attacks, seeking status and to inspire copycats, rather than concealing their actions.

  “They care more about getting the message out there than they do about getting a layer. Certainly the public messaging in the attempt to create a certain media narrative is central to their motivation.” — David Ryan [17:32]

The Emergence of the 764 Network

7. What is 764?

• Origin: Founded in 2021 by Bradley Chance Cadenhead in Texas (zip code ‘764’).

• Core Activities:

  • Coordinated “sexploitation” — severe online grooming and blackmail of minors to create and share sexually explicit material, and to commit acts of self-harm or animal cruelty.
  • Members share best practices on Discord and similar platforms, escalating abuse via group dynamics.

• Nihilistic Ideology: Beyond sexual gratification, 764’s explicit goal is a “nihilistic extremist ideology” — corrupting youth to destabilize society.

  “[They] appear to be motivated not only by sexual gratification but also by... wanting to corrupt the youth of society to contribute to the decay and downfall of society.” — David Ryan [29:46]

• Methods:

  • “Love bombing” children, offering digital gifts, then leveraging sexual content as blackmail.
  • Sharing exploitative images and videos as social currency within the group, which allows multiple perpetrators to threaten the same victim.

    “They essentially brag to each other, look what I'm able to get. Look what I have.” — David Ryan [34:18]

• Expansion to Physical Violence: While originally online-focused, recent cases have involved members committing real-world violent attacks in other countries.

• Prosecution: Law enforcement agencies have made the network a high priority, prosecuting leaders and increasing public awareness.

Overlap between Incels & 764

8. Shared Methods, Divergent Motives

• Common Threads: Both target vulnerable minors online, exploit trust, and escalate threats. Children are seen as easier targets for manipulation and dominance.

  "They will present to the victim as non-threatening ... and will, in different ways and for different reasons and at different times, change from non-threatening to threatening and then potentially to violence." — David Ryan [36:55]

• Why Target Children: Perceived vulnerability, susceptibility to manipulation, and ability to be dominated are core reasons, especially among more extreme incel adherents.

Call to Action & Resources

9. For Victims, Parents, and the Public

• Don't Wait to Report: Pattern of escalation is common; reporting early is critical.

  “If someone does receive... messages that start to cross the line and suggest a threatening or obsessive infatuation... they should reach out to the local police department, or they can reach out to the FBI.” — David Ryan [24:56]

• Online Anonymity Isn’t Impunity:

  “People who think they can hide behind the keyboard and commit crimes and victimize people online... that is not the case.” — David Ryan [25:36]

• Heroes in Reporting:

  “It’s not just a brave thing they did, but a heroic thing they did to come forward and get this case done.” — David Ryan [23:59]

• Parents' Tools: Keep open communication, monitor children’s online activities, know the warning signs.

10. Key Resources

• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children:
  • Phone: 1-800-THE-LOST
  • Website: missingkids.org
  • "Take it Down" Service: For removing underage exploitative images — confidential and free.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Hate and Misogyny:

  “Posts mentioning rape were on major incel forums every 29 minutes and... 89% of posts... supported sexual violence against women.” — Courtney Armstrong citing report [08:58]

• On Responding to Threats:

  “Rest assured, if you do reach out to law enforcement, we may be able to come in and help. And as a prosecutor, our primary goal is to disrupt criminal activity before new victims are created.” — David Ryan [25:36]

• On Urgency and Public Responsibility:

  “Reporting matters. Early warning signs save lives. And the sooner someone speaks up, the faster law enforcement can intervene before a threat turns into a tragedy.” — Courtney Armstrong [41:17]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Incels & Online Radicalization: [03:09]–[07:29]
• Social Media & Threats: [07:29]–[09:16]
• Bennington Case Study: [09:48]–[14:43]
• Attack Notoriety & Media Narratives: [16:14]–[17:52]
• Introduction to 764 Network: [26:36]–[30:33]
• 764 Tactics & Victim Blackmail: [34:18]–[35:41]
• Physical Violence & Law Enforcement Priorities: [35:41]–[36:47]
• Overlap and the Importance of Reporting: [36:47]–[41:17]
• Resources and Final Thoughts: [40:09]–[42:36]

Final Takeaways

“The 764 Network” episode is an unsettling, vital primer on the evolution of online misogynist and nihilistic subcultures that prey on society’s most vulnerable. Both incels and groups like 764 exploit anonymous platforms to recruit, terrorize, and manipulate, their digital behaviors often serving as harbingers of real-world violence. The episode urges vigilance, systematic reporting, and collective action to challenge, disrupt, and prevent this abuse, underpinning the message that intervention—no matter how small—can save lives.