The Com Member Sentenced to Two Years for Blackmail and Sextortion
Summary
Justin Swaddle was sentenced to two years in prison for blackmail and sextortion targeting nearly 120 people worldwide. The UK National Crime Agency identified 117 female victims aged 13 to 17.
Key points
- Swaddle, 20, received a two-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to multiple child sexual abuse offenses and blackmail.
- The National Crime Agency identified 117 female victims aged 13 to 17 among nearly 120 victims worldwide.
- Swaddle used aliases on Snapchat, Telegram and Discord to gain victims’ trust and threaten to share intimate images or contact their families or schools.
- Investigators found child sexual abuse material and images showing victims with self-harm injuries on Swaddle’s devices.
- Swaddle will be placed on the National Sex Offenders Register and subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
- The article links The Com to online child exploitation and describes its subgroups, including Cyber Com, which it says orchestrates network intrusions and ransomware attacks.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Criminal sentencing for blackmail and sextortion involving a member of The Com.
- Impact
- Justin Swaddle was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to child sexual abuse offenses and blackmail. The National Crime Agency identified 117 female victims aged 13 to 17 among nearly 120 victims worldwide. Investigators found evidence of coercion, self-harm, and child sexual abuse material on seized devices.
People
Threat Actors
764Subgroup of The Com described as grooming young people into producing explicit content used for extortion or shared among members.EpsteinAlias used by Justin Swaddle on Snapchat, Telegram, and Discord in connection with his grooming and threats against victims.Justin SwaddleSentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to child sexual abuse offenses and blackmail targeting nearly 120 victims.Leonidas VaragiannisIdentified as an alleged 764 leader; arrested in April 2025 and accused of operating an international child exploitation ring.MoscowAlias used by Justin Swaddle on Snapchat, Telegram, and Discord in connection with his grooming and threats against victims.Prasan NepalIdentified as an alleged 764 leader; arrested in April 2025 and accused of operating an international child exploitation ring.RugenAlias used by Justin Swaddle on Snapchat, Telegram, and Discord in connection with his grooming and threats against victims.The ComOnline criminal collective described as recruiting and grooming children and teenagers and coercing them into self-harm, violence, and producing child sexual abuse material.
Products
DiscordThe case exposed links to The Com’s broader network of abuse, coercion, and child exploitation across platforms such as Snapchat, Telegram, and Discord.SnapchatThe case exposed links to The Com’s broader network of abuse, coercion, and child exploitation across platforms such as Snapchat, Telegram, and Discord.TelegramThe case exposed links to The Com’s broader network of abuse, coercion, and child exploitation across platforms such as Snapchat, Telegram, and Discord.