The arrest of a Queens man on gun charges two years ago has led federal authorities to the discovery of a Satanic pedophile extortion cult that targets minors over the internet, a report said Thursday.
Investigators uncovered the heinous group, named 764, while probing disturbing social media posts made by Angel Almeida, 23, who was busted in November 2021 and charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, according to court documents and a report from The Guardian.
In February, Brooklyn federal prosecutors announced they had filed a superseding indictment against Almeida, adding charges related to child exploitation and enticement of minors.
Prior to Almeida’s arrest, the FBI followed anonymous tips that allegedly linked him to social media accounts containing vile posts about child sex abuse — including one Instagram profile, “@necropedocell,” that featured a photo of what appeared to be a child bound and gagged.
A post on another of Almeida’s alleged Instagram profiles showed him posing with ammunition strapped to his chest, in front of a black flag bearing the logo of the Order of Nine Angels (O9A), which prosecutors described as “a worldwide Satanist … group which embraces elements of neo-Nazism and white supremacy.”
When authorities searched Almeida’s home, they allegedly found hundreds of files containing child sex abuse material on four different devices — as well as books related to O9A and Satanism, according to court documents.
They also found a “blood covenant,” an O9A drawing of a hooded figure surrounded by the group’s symbols and smeared with what appears to be blood, the filings state.
On Sept. 12, the FBI issued a public notice about 764, a “violent online group” that is “deliberately targeting minor victims on publicly available messaging platforms to extort them into recording or livestreaming acts of self-harm and producing child sexual abuse material.”
Sources told the Guardian the cult is believed to be an offshoot of O9A — and that law enforcement discovered the group through the investigation in Almeida’s case.
The FBI did not immediately return The Post’s request for a comment on Thursday.
Members of 764 are thought to “use threats, blackmail and manipulation” to get vulnerable youth — particularly LGBTQ+ minors, racial minorities and those with mental health issues — to record acts of self-harm, animal abuse, sex acts and suicide, the FBI warning states.
The group targets victims through platforms like Roblox, Discord and Twitch, as well as curated Soundcloud playlists and the encrypted messaging app Telegram, researchers told the Guardian.
There are likely thousands of 764 members, with hundreds more active members trawling these platforms regularly, they added.
Though the FBI warning earlier this month marked the first time US law enforcement publicly mentioned 764, the circle has already made headlines overseas: A German teen accused of killing his Romanian foster family is believed to have been a participant, according to Romanian daily newspaper Libertatea.
The teenager had swastika and “764” tattoos, as well as “necro” — the same word Almeida used in one of his Instagram usernames — inked on his forearm, the outlet noted.
In addition to possession of child pornography, Almeida is accused of attempting to lure two underage girls into sexual activity — one of whom he allegedly targeted for the purpose of producing and disseminating child sex abuse material, the February indictment reads.
“As alleged, Almeida posed multiple threats to our community, not only as a felon in possession of a firearm, but also through targeting children as victims of sexual abuse,” FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael Driscoll said in a statement at the time.
At a recent appearance in Brooklyn federal court, Almedia — who previously served 18 months behind bars in Florida on burglary charges — scoffed at the serious allegations against him.
“What the f–k do you even call a minor? You tell me what’s a minor,” he ranted when Judge Rachel P. Kovner detailed the content of the attempted child exploitation charges.
Earlier in the proceedings, Almeida claimed that he was diagnosed “with schizophrenic bipolar disorder” in 2018, but had never been medicated for the condition.
After a lengthy evaluation process, Almeida was found competent to stand trial earlier this month. The trial is set to begin on Dec. 4.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Almeida’s counsel, Benjamin Silverman, did not return The Post’s request for a comment.
SOURCE: New york post
