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@ -25,40 +25,45 @@ Rane founded CVLT in 2019. Beginning with a small community of a few hundred mem
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The indictment (United States v. Rane et al., [[United States v. Rane et al. (2-25-cr-00040)|2:25-cr-00040]]) refers to the platform as "Platform D," understood to be Discord. Coercion tactics documented in DOJ filings and press releases included compelling victims to cut themselves, drink their own urine, punch themselves, use racial slurs against themselves, and carve CVLT members' names into their skin with razor blades. The terminal escalation was pressuring victims to kill themselves on a video livestream. The group targeted vulnerable girls, often those with a history of mental health struggles or prior sexual abuse, exposing them first to neo-Nazi and violent extremist content to normalize degradation before direct coercion began.[^2]
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CVLT operated from at least 2019 to 2022. Federal prosecutors charged that Rane, [[Collin Walker]], and [[Kaleb Merritt]] acted as leaders and administrators, hosting and running CVLT servers, controlling membership and access, and directing victims during the creation of extortion videos. [[Clint Borge]] participated as a member and directed and instructed victims during coercion sessions. Two unnamed minor co-conspirators are referenced in the indictment, one of whom was also a victim.[^3]
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CVLT operated from at least 2019 to 2022. Federal prosecutors charged that Rane, [[Collin Walker]], and [[Kaleb Merritt]] acted as leaders and administrators, hosting and running CVLT servers, controlling membership and access, and directing victims during the creation of extortion videos. [[Clint Borge]] was charged as a member; the indictment names him in felony counts involving four minor victims.[^3] Two unnamed minor co-conspirators are referenced in the indictment, one of whom was also a victim.[^4]
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Early CVLT leaders including Walker and Merritt adopted [[Order of Nine Angles|O9A]]-influenced online aliases: Walker used "WRATH/O9A.WRATH" and Merritt used "eTerror/o9a.evil," signaling the group's integration of neo-Nazi occultism alongside nihilism and pedophilia as core ideological principles.[^4]
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Early CVLT leaders including Walker and Merritt adopted [[Order of Nine Angles|O9A]]-influenced online aliases: Walker used "WRATH/O9A.WRATH" and Merritt used "eTerror/o9a.evil," signaling the group's integration of neo-Nazi occultism alongside nihilism and pedophilia as core ideological principles.[^5]
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### Transmission to 764 and Downstream Networks
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Cadenhead, a 15-year-old school dropout in [[Stephenville, Texas]], encountered a CVLT member in a Minecraft server and through that conversation absorbed CVLT's methods. Cadenhead then founded 764 in 2020-2021, naming it after local ZIP codes 76401/76402 and using Discord as his initial platform. The CVLT-to-764 transmission through Minecraft is the documented origin event of 764 as a distinct network.[^1]
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Following Cadenhead's 2021 arrest and the 2025 federal prosecution of CVLT's leadership, a splinter group called [[CVLTIST]] emerged as a named downstream entity within [[The Com]] ecosystem. CVLT's victim count and operational methods were explicitly cited by [[NCITE]] (National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center at the University of Nebraska Omaha) alongside CVLT's contemporaneous precursor [[Greggy's Cult]] (also called the Cult of Greg) in documenting 31 individuals publicly charged with federal crimes across the three connected networks as of December 2025.[^5]
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Following Cadenhead's 2021 arrest and the 2025 federal prosecution of CVLT's leadership, a splinter group called [[CVLTIST]] emerged as a named downstream entity within [[The Com]] ecosystem. CVLT's victim count and operational methods were explicitly cited by [[NCITE]] (National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center at the University of Nebraska Omaha) alongside CVLT's contemporaneous precursor [[Greggy's Cult]] (also called the Cult of Greg) in documenting 31 individuals publicly charged with federal crimes across the three connected networks as of December 2025.[^6]
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### French Investigation and Rane's Arrest
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An [[FBI]] agent became aware of CVLT in spring 2020 while investigating a 15-year-old American girl who had unsuccessfully attempted suicide under coercion. The FBI passed findings to [[Police Nationale]] (France), which initiated a judicial investigation on October 6, 2020 through the [[OCRVP]] (Office Central pour la Répression des Violences aux Personnes). Rane was arrested in France on April 6, 2021, and has been in French custody since 2022. In France he faces charges of "acts of torture and barbarity," "corruption of minors in an organized gang," and "extortion in an organized gang." As of May 2026 he remains in French custody pending extradition to the United States.[^3]
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An [[FBI]] agent became aware of CVLT in spring 2020 while investigating a 15-year-old American girl who had unsuccessfully attempted suicide under coercion. The FBI passed findings to [[Police Nationale]] (France), which initiated a judicial investigation on October 6, 2020 through the [[OCRVP]] (Office Central pour la Répression des Violences aux Personnes). Rane was arrested in France on April 6, 2021, and has been in French custody since 2022. In France he faces charges of "acts of torture and barbarity," "corruption of minors in an organized gang," and "extortion in an organized gang." As of May 2026 he remains in French custody pending extradition to the United States.[^4]
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### Federal Prosecution (United States v. Rane, 2:25-cr-00040)
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The federal investigation was conducted by [[Homeland Security Investigations]] (HSI) Los Angeles, HSI Cherry Hill ([[New Jersey]]), and HSI Honolulu, in collaboration with the [[Los Angeles Police Department]], [[San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office]], [[Henry County Sheriff's Office]] (Virginia), [[Iowa State University Police Department]] (ISUPD), and Police Nationale (France).[^3]
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The federal investigation was conducted by [[Homeland Security Investigations]] (HSI) Los Angeles, HSI Cherry Hill ([[New Jersey]]), and HSI Honolulu, in collaboration with the [[Los Angeles Police Department]], [[San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office]], [[Henry County Sheriff's Office]] (Virginia), [[Iowa State University Police Department]] (ISUPD), and Police Nationale (France).[^4]
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The Iowa State link was critical. In November 2020, an Iowa State University freshman reported to ISUPD that she was being blackmailed with images taken when she was 16. ISUPD Officer [[Kami Feld]] conducted the investigation, issuing subpoenas to electronic service providers including Google, PayPal, Venmo, Instagram, and Facebook. When the subpoenas returned IP activity from Hawaii, Oregon, and California, and revealed a digital wallet address at 4 Goldfield Road in Honolulu, Feld cross-referenced the address and identified it as the residence of Clint Borge, the fourth core leader, whose Discord alias "Whoops" had been known to federal investigators without a real-world identity.[^6]
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The Iowa State link was critical. In November 2020, an Iowa State University freshman reported to ISUPD that she was being blackmailed with images taken when she was 16. ISUPD Officer [[Kami Feld]] conducted the investigation, issuing subpoenas to electronic service providers including Google, PayPal, Venmo, Instagram, and Facebook. The subpoenas returned IP activity from Hawaii, Oregon, and California, and a digital wallet account carrying a Honolulu address that Feld said does not exist on Oahu.[^7] A third round of warrants on the account produced Clint Borge's real name, and HSI, which had joined the Iowa State case in June 2021, tied the IP address to him; HSI Los Angeles had known three of the four core members and only the Discord username "Whoops" for the fourth.[^8][^9]
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The grand jury returned the indictment on January 17, 2025, in the [[Central District of California]]. The indictment was unsealed approximately February 4-5, 2025. All four defendants were charged in a single count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise under [[18 U.S.C. § 2252A(g)]], carrying a mandatory minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life imprisonment. The enterprise theory required proof that the defendants (1) violated specified child exploitation statutes, (2) across three or more separate incidents, (3) involving more than one victim, (4) in concert with three or more other persons. The four named defendants and two unnamed minor co-conspirators together constituted the enterprise.[^3]
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The grand jury returned the indictment on January 17, 2025, in the [[Central District of California]]. The indictment was unsealed on January 30, 2025.[^10] All four defendants were charged in a single count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise under [[18 U.S.C. § 2252A(g)]], carrying a mandatory minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life imprisonment. The enterprise theory required proof that the defendants (1) violated specified child exploitation statutes, (2) across three or more separate incidents, (3) involving more than one victim, (4) in concert with three or more other persons. The four named defendants and two unnamed minor co-conspirators together constituted the enterprise.[^4]
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Walker and Borge were physically arrested in New Jersey and Hawaii respectively when the indictment was unsealed. Merritt was already incarcerated in Virginia. Rane remained in French custody pending extradition.[^3]
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Walker and Borge were physically arrested in New Jersey and Hawaii respectively when the indictment was unsealed. Merritt was already incarcerated in Virginia. Rane remained in French custody pending extradition.[^4]
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### Plea Record
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Collin Walker pleaded guilty in October 2025. Clint Borge pleaded guilty in December 2025. Kaleb Merritt pleaded guilty on March 26, 2026. All three pleaded to one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise under 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(g). Judge [[Hernan D. Vera]] of the Central District of California scheduled all three sentencing hearings: Walker for January 29, 2026; Borge for March 12, 2026; Merritt for January 7, 2027. Walker and Borge sentencing outcomes had not been publicly announced by DOJ as of May 2026 (their hearings having preceded the Merritt plea). Rohan Rane, as of May 2026, remains in French custody awaiting extradition and has not entered a US plea.[^7]
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Collin Walker pleaded guilty in October 2025. Clint Borge pleaded guilty in December 2025. Kaleb Merritt pleaded guilty on March 26, 2026. All three pleaded to one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise under 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(g). Judge [[Hernan D. Vera]] of the Central District of California scheduled all three sentencing hearings: Walker for January 29, 2026; Borge for March 12, 2026; Merritt for January 7, 2027. Walker's sentencing was continued to May 28, 2026, and the March 26, 2026 DOJ release said Walker and Borge were expected to be sentenced in the coming months; Rohan Rane was in French custody awaiting extradition.[^11][^12]
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### Footnotes
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[^1]: ARC Research. "CVLT Historical Threat Assessment of the Precursor to 764." https://www.accresearch.org/shortanalysis/svjdmt1twn9ccz0c4uxnbqrauywwcn; Marc-Andre Argentino. "CVLT Historical Threat Assessment of the Precursor to 764." https://www.maargentino.com/cvlt-historical-threat-assessment-of-the-precursor-to-764/
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[^2]: Rolling Stone. "Violent Online Group CVLT Coerced Kids to Self-Harm, DOJ Says." February 2025. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/violent-online-group-cvlt-indicted-1235258786/
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[^3]: HSI. "HSI Los Angeles, Cherry Hill, and Honolulu special agents arrest members of online neo-Nazi group on child exploitation enterprise charges." ICE.gov, February 2025. https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/hsi-los-angeles-cherry-hill-and-honolulu-special-agents-arrest-members-online-neo; U.S. Department of Justice, OPA. "Four Members of Online Neo-Nazi Group that Exploited Minors Charged with Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material." February 2025. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/four-members-online-neo-nazi-group-exploited-minors-charged-producing-child-sexual-abuse
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[^4]: Medium/chokingonsignal. "Com, Extortion Groups, and the Order of Nine Angles." https://chokingonsignal.medium.com/com-extortion-groups-and-the-order-of-nine-angles-9fe1f8419526; ADL "764" backgrounder. https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/764
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[^5]: NCITE. "Prosecuting 764: An Examination of Federal and State Charges." University of Nebraska Omaha, December 2025. https://www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2025/12/764-landing-page.php
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[^6]: Iowa State Daily. "How ISUPD uncovered a Neo-Nazi sexual predator ring." 2025. https://iowastatedaily.com/335620/news/how-the-isupd-uncovered-a-neo-nazi-sexual-predator-ring/; Iowa State University News Service. "A call for help leads ISU Police to sexual predator, international investigation." February 12, 2025. https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2025/02/12/isu-police-exploitation
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[^7]: U.S. Department of Justice, OPA. "Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Online Neo-Nazi Group that Exploited Children into Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material." March 2026. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/man-pleads-guilty-participating-online-neo-nazi-group-exploited-children-producing-child; United States v. Rane et al., 2:25-cr-00040 (C.D. Cal.), CourtListener. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69613728/united-states-v-rane/
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[^3]: Indictment, United States v. Rane et al., No. 2:25-cr-00040-HDV (C.D. Cal. filed Jan. 17, 2025), Doc. 1. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cacd.954685/gov.uscourts.cacd.954685.1.0.pdf
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[^4]: HSI. "HSI Los Angeles, Cherry Hill, and Honolulu special agents arrest members of online neo-Nazi group on child exploitation enterprise charges." ICE.gov, February 2025. https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/hsi-los-angeles-cherry-hill-and-honolulu-special-agents-arrest-members-online-neo; U.S. Department of Justice, OPA. "Four Members of Online Neo-Nazi Group that Exploited Minors Charged with Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material." February 2025. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/four-members-online-neo-nazi-group-exploited-minors-charged-producing-child-sexual-abuse
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[^5]: Medium/chokingonsignal. "Com, Extortion Groups, and the Order of Nine Angles." https://chokingonsignal.medium.com/com-extortion-groups-and-the-order-of-nine-angles-9fe1f8419526; ADL "764" backgrounder. https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/764
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[^6]: NCITE. "Prosecuting 764: An Examination of Federal and State Charges." University of Nebraska Omaha, December 2025. https://www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2025/12/764-landing-page.php
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[^7]: Iowa State Daily. "How ISUPD uncovered a Neo-Nazi sexual predator ring." 2025. https://iowastatedaily.com/335620/news/how-the-isupd-uncovered-a-neo-nazi-sexual-predator-ring/; Iowa State University News Service. "A call for help leads ISU Police to sexual predator, international investigation." February 12, 2025. https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2025/02/12/isu-police-exploitation
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[^8]: Iowa State University News Service. "A call for help leads ISU Police to sexual predator, international investigation." February 12, 2025. https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2025/02/12/isu-police-exploitation
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[^9]: Alexandra Bylund. "How ISUPD uncovered a Neo-Nazi sexual predator ring." Iowa State Daily, March 31, 2026. https://iowastatedaily.com/335620/news/how-the-isupd-uncovered-a-neo-nazi-sexual-predator-ring/
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[^10]: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs. "Four Members of Online Neo-Nazi Group that Exploited Minors Charged with Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material." Press Release 25-123, January 30, 2025. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/four-members-online-neo-nazi-group-exploited-minors-charged-producing-child-sexual-abuse
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[^11]: U.S. Department of Justice, OPA. "Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Online Neo-Nazi Group that Exploited Children into Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material." March 2026. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/man-pleads-guilty-participating-online-neo-nazi-group-exploited-children-producing-child; United States v. Rane et al., 2:25-cr-00040 (C.D. Cal.), CourtListener. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69613728/united-states-v-rane/
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[^12]: Docket, United States v. Rane, No. 2:25-cr-00040 (C.D. Cal.), entry 91 (December 5, 2025), order continuing Walker's sentencing to May 28, 2026. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69613728/united-states-v-rane/
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