Four members of an online neo-Nazi group ran an international child exploitation ring that coerced minors into producing sadistic and abusive pornography and then blackmailed victims if they refused to continue, according to a newly unsealed grand jury indictment.
The four men are alleged members of CVLT pronounced cult , which declared neo-Nazism, nihilism and pedophilia as its core principles. The indictment, reached Jan. Department of Justice, says the men used the internet to groom vulnerable children into producing videos of sexual acts and self-harm.
The men were each charged with one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise and face a sentence of 20 years to life in prison if convicted as charged, prosecutors said. The indictment reveals horrifying details about the acts these men are accused of coercing 16 minors into performing. Two of the minors are from San Bernardino County, according to the indictment. The various means of degradation the men allegedly used to groom the children into producing this violent and sexual content are equally appalling.
The men are accused of exploiting children's vulnerabilities, such as mental health challenges or prior sexual abuse, to break down their willpower and resistance. When victims hesitated, resisted or threatened to tell parents or authorities, the men would use various forms of blackmail to retain power over them, prosecutors allege.
This included threatening to distribute the child pornography or the child's and their family's personally identifiable information to the public, according to the indictment. When children refused to comply, the group would sometimes follow through with these threats, the indictment states.
