Massive Arrests Made in Europol’s Operation against The Com Hackers

The Com: Europol’s Operation Compass Leads to Arrests and Unveils Cybercrime Collective

An extensive operation coordinated by Europol known as “Project Compass” has resulted in the apprehension of 30 individuals and the identification of 179 suspects associated with “The Com,” an online cybercrime group that predominantly targets children and teenagers.

Europol, in a recent press release, revealed that through the yearlong endeavor, 62 victims of The Com were identified, with four of them receiving direct protection from the group’s malicious activities.

Launched in January 2025 and led by Europol’s European Counter Terrorism Centre, Project Compass brought together law enforcement agencies from 28 countries to combat The Com, also referred to as the Community.

Described by Europol as a decentralized extremist network, The Com is a group of English-speaking cybercriminals notorious for preying on and recruiting young individuals for various illicit activities, including extortion, violence, and the production of exploitative material involving children.

The Com operates across numerous online platforms such as social media, online gaming environments, messaging apps, and music streaming services. It is subdivided into distinct groups, namely:

• Offline Com, which advocates for property damage, violence, and terrorism,
• Cyber Com, responsible for network intrusions and ransomware attacks,
• (S)extortion Com, coercing minors into criminal activities and promoting self-harm.

A subgroup known as “764,” which emerged in 2021, is particularly notorious within The Com for coercing young individuals into producing explicit content for purposes of blackmail or internal circulation.

In a significant development, two alleged leaders of 764, Leonidas Varagiannis (21) and Prasan Nepal (20), were apprehended in April 2025 on charges related to operating an international child exploitation ring, potentially facing life imprisonment.

The Com has been previously linked to prominent ransomware attacks against major entities such as Marks & Spencer, Co-op, and Harrods in April 2025, as well as security breaches in Las Vegas casinos in September 2023.

Anna Sjöberg, the head of Europol’s European Counter Terrorism Centre, emphasized the deliberate targeting of vulnerable children by networks like The Com in digital spaces where they are most comfortable. She highlighted the importance of cross-border collaboration in combating such threats to safeguard victims and disrupt extremist activities.

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