Rotten Mango Podcast Summary

Host: Stephanie Soo
Episode: 16 Yr Old Boy Caught Hunting Kids On Roblox & Running Biggest Child Torture Cult
Date: September 7, 2025

Episode Overview

This chilling episode delivers a harrowing deep-dive into one of today’s darkest corners of the internet: the rise and spread of the “764 cult” — a web-based network responsible for terrorizing, extorting, and torturing children, often via social platforms like Roblox and Discord. Host Stephanie Soo meticulously unpacks the origins, methods, psychology, and global implications of 764, focusing on its shockingly young founder, its sadistic culture, survivor stories, and the continuing battle law enforcement faces. The tone balances dark humor and empathy, offering support for victims and urging listeners to prioritize their mental health due to graphic content.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Coffee Shop Glitch" & Zombie Apocalypse Metaphor (01:10)

• Stephanie frames the episode with a metaphor about societal collapse, underscoring how seemingly random disturbing events are connected — much like the scattered signs that led to the uncovering of 764.

2. The Viral Crimes Linking to 764 (03:30)

• A timeline of brutal, viral crimes by teenagers across the globe (Romania, Brazil, Sweden, Australia, US) seems unrelated at first, but these acts are ultimately traced back to the same online community — 764.

3. The Case of Samuel: Live-streamed Self-immolation (07:53)

• Samuel, a 25-year-old, livestreams his suicide at the behest of a group of online users, including a 15-year-old girl (“Diane” from Eastern Europe), for the entertainment of the 764 group.
  • Quote: “He smiles at the camera and says, ‘I'm going to taste the Antichrist.’” (08:23)
• The video circulates on Discord; bystanders egg him on instead of helping.
  • Quote: "That's the worst death possible, bro. Fuck yeah. Go 764." (09:21)

4. The Incel Pipeline & Fight Club Misinterpretations (13:30)

• 764 culture borrows warped ideals from the movie Fight Club.
• Young men, disenfranchised and isolated, misinterpret Fight Club’s critique of consumer masculinity as a rally cry against women, fueling incel ideology and eventually leading many to 764.
  • Quote: "Incels use this as proof: single moms and overt female influence have corrupted masculinity." (15:30)

5. Kyle’s Story: Victim or Perpetrator? (18:36–27:22)

• Kyle: Initially seen as a victim after a viral video surfaces of his stepdad threatening him and shooting his ear; later, Kyle becomes notorious as a perpetrator within 764.
  • Quote: “He has a lot of animal crushing videos... cataloging, collecting like a full time employee with health benefits at the Library of Congress of all these grotesque CSAM videos.” (24:10)
• His biological father, Michael, becomes a facilitator, reaching out to victims to coerce them into helping Kyle.
• Both are arrested; Kyle admits, "I have a total of over 2600 victims. My goal is to reach 3000 before I get fetid [caught]." (27:08)

6. What is 764? Structure, Growth, and Methods (29:55–39:00)

• Origin: Founded by a 15-year-old (“Bradley Cadenhead”) from Texas. The group’s name comes from the local zip code.
• Expansion: Started US-based, now international but concentrated in English-speaking regions and Eastern Europe.
• Splinter Groups: Members create ever-more sadistic groups (e.g., Harm Nation, No Lives Matter, Maniac Murder Club), each ratcheting the brutality.
• Motto: “No lives matter.” They idolize violence, suffering, and worship death as purification.

Notable Quotes

• “Their main objective... is to find children, blackmail children, exploit them into creating CSAM, and once they've done that, convince them to live stream their own deaths.” (34:40)
• “It's like a badge of honor within these groups to actually do the most harm.” (36:29)

7. Techniques & Induction: How 764 Traps Victims (40:00–50:00)

• Grooming primarily occurs via Discord and Roblox, targeting children with mental health vulnerabilities.
• Blackmail victims into harmful acts (self-injury, animal torture, humiliation, and, ultimately, suicide).
• Exchange status within the group for more egregious videos, not primarily for money.
• Manuals and “guides” are circulated on how to manipulate and break victims, tailored to psychological traits (e.g., “bipolar disorder guide”).

8. Survivor Story: Trinity (51:00–58:00)

• Groomed at 14 by 764's "MK Ultra," Trinity suffered three years of escalating abuse, forced self-injury, humiliation, and persistent psychological control.
• Trinity’s mother’s attempts to intervene are stymied; law enforcement is often unable or unwilling to act because of technological barriers (e.g., unbreakable phone authentication).
• Emotional insight: “I told them I loved it, I told them I wanted more. But in truth, I was just a mindless slave at that point.” (51:45)

Notable Quotes

• Trinity:
  • “I look in the mirror now and I still see [markings] engraved in my chest, and I really wish it wasn't there.” (52:38)
  • “I had no other option but to give them what they wanted, to quit or tap out... Now I will never stop fighting for myself and for others because I'm a survivor and you can be too.” (90:50)

9. Law Enforcement’s Sisyphean Task & Shortcomings (58:00–89:05)

• The scale is overwhelming: over 250 open FBI investigations at any given time; for every server taken down, more surface.
  • Quote: “It’s like trying to catch smoke. These groups are constantly shifting, rebranding and creating new aliases.” (34:50)
• Law enforcement struggles to gather evidence: use of encryption, lack of verification on Discord/Telegram, rapid self-destruction of evidence.
• Survivors’ physical and psychological scars often stand as the only lasting evidence.

10. The Psychology of 764 Members (60:54–67:43)

• Nihilistic violent extremism: belief that nothing matters, so any atrocity can be justified.
• Many are underage themselves; some are survivor-turned-perpetrators.
• Members often display a chilling lack of empathy and remorse:
  • Quote: “I just like the faces people make when they're in pain, like when they're hurting.” (46:56)
  • Quote: “I was just kind of bored, so I didn't really have anything to do.” (51:08)

11. Ongoing Operations and Failures (87:10)

• “Operation Restore Justice” (2022–2023) led to over 200 arrests, but the group simply respawned, more splintered and dangerous than before.
• Discord and Telegram struggle to stem the tide; banning 34,000+ accounts and 130+ servers hasn't eradicated the threat.

12. The Role of Tech — Both Good and Bad (89:36)

• AI is sometimes weaponized to create even more abusive content.
• Law enforcement’s use of AI to combat child exploitation is limited by cost, lack of government investment, and technological agility of 764 members.

13. Manualized Abuse & Cult Tactics (73:50–80:00)

• Step-by-step guides are devised both for finding/abusing victims and evading law enforcement.
• Members explicitly rate and compete over “ungroomed” children whom they are first to abuse.
• Internal extortion: 764 members sometimes blackmail each other, especially if they're older men with jobs/families.

14. The Culture of Hopelessness & Escalation (81:55–89:05)

• 764’s ideology is rooted in accelerationism: it’s about pushing society to collapse through sadism.
• Members issue taunts to authorities, proclaiming "You cannot find us. We are everywhere... We will always exist and your efforts are in vain.” (90:01)
• Encouragement and organization of real-world violence, not merely virtual exploitation.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Samuel’s Live-stream:
  “He smiles at the camera and says, ‘I'm going to taste the Antichrist.’” (08:23)
• On Incel Misreading Fight Club:
  “Incels use this as proof: single moms and overt female influence have corrupted masculinity.” (15:30)
• On 764’s Motto:
  “No lives matter.” (36:29)
• FBI’s Characterization:
  “A network of nihilistic, violent extremists... their only ideology is violence.” (33:37)
• On Methods of Grooming:
  “Gain her trust, make her feel comfortable. Make her want to harm for you.” (75:15)
• On the Cycle of Extortion:
  “They kept me in a cycle of praise and then they would stop it... I was 10 when I started getting abused.” (78:40)
• Survivor Trinity:
  “I told them I loved it... But in truth, I was just a mindless slave at that point.” (51:45) “Now I will never stop fighting for myself and for others because I'm a survivor and you can be too.” (90:50)
• Member Explaining Motivation:
  “I just like the faces people make when they're in pain, like when they're hurting.” (46:56) “I was just kind of bored, so I didn't really have anything to do.” (51:08)
• 764 Taunt:
  “You cannot find us. We are everywhere... We will always exist and your efforts are in vain.” (90:01)

Important Segments With Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |--------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:10–03:30 | Introduction, coffee shop glitch metaphor | | 03:30–07:10 | Global acts of violence connecting to 764 | | 07:53–13:30 | Samuel’s suicide and Discord’s live-streamed reaction | | 13:30–18:36 | Fight Club, incels, and the 764 pipeline | | 18:36–27:22 | Kyle’s trajectory from victim to abuser | | 29:55–39:00 | What is 764? Structure, spread, purpose, splinter groups | | 40:00–50:00 | Induction and manipulation of victims; methods, guides | | 51:00–58:00 | Trinity’s survivor account; law enforcement’s failings | | 58:00–67:43 | Arrests, investigations, online persistence | | 71:43–75:15 | Internal blackmail; member psychology; guides/manuals | | 75:15–81:55 | The escalation culture, victims’ stories | | 81:55–89:05 | Extreme violence, law enforcement woes, survivor hope | | 90:01–End | Cult ideology; efforts to fight back, ongoing risks |

Tone & Final Takeaways

Stephanie Soo alternates between morbid humor and palpable empathy, determined both to bear witness to these atrocities and to affirm the strength of survivors. She stresses that this story is not just about a "rotten" online cult but about the failure of institutions and the urgent need for systemic change, vigilance, and survivor support.

Key Takeaway:
Despite the monstrous depravity of 764 and the perpetually mutating nature of similar online groups, the stories of Trinity and other survivors — those who found the strength to resist, seek help, and speak out — provide a glimmer of hope. This episode is a disturbing but necessary call to vigilance, for parents, law enforcement, internet companies, and all those responsible for the protection of children online.

For support:

• Stephanie highlights resources such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and emphasizes:

  "Your mental health is the priority..." (05:10)

If you are a survivor or know someone at risk, seek help and support. Be vigilant, and if you suspect exploitation online, report it to NCMEC CyberTipline.

(Adverts, intros, and outros have been omitted.)