German man arrested for allegedly driving U.S. teen to die by suicide

German police, acting on an FBI tip-off, arrested an alleged online sadist accused of driving a 14-year-old U.S. girl to hang herself, prosecutors said Friday.

The 18-year-old German was arrested in Hamburg on Thursday, accused of being the indirect perpetrator of murder and grievous bodily harm.

FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O'Malley said in a statement that their office worked with the Fort Wayne Police Department to provide information to the German police to help advance the arrest. The Fort Wayne Police Department said in a statement that its Homicide Unit identified a suspect who contributed to the juvenile's death.

"Anyone who targets or exploits a child should understand this: There is no safe haven from justice. It doesn't matter where you live or where you try to hide. The FBI will work with our partners around the world to find you and hold you accountable," O'Malley said.

The suspect was linked to an online group called "Nefarious Maniac Kult" or "NMK," part of a global network known by the labels "764" or "COM," the Hamburg public prosecutor's office said.

From September 2024 to September 2025, the FBI has seen a 300% increase in nihilistic violent extremism cases — many involving the 764 group, said FBI Director Kash Patel. The group 764 lacks a specific ideology, but members openly encourage self-harm and violence and encourage victims to produce videos documenting acts of self-harm or child sexual abuse material.

Between September and October, the suspect, then aged 17, allegedly "exerted influence" via the social network Discord over the girl from Indiana state whom prosecutors described as "psychologically fragile".

The suspect allegedly pressured the girl to cut herself and write the letters "NMK" on a wall in her own blood, and had her send him video recordings of these acts. A few days later, she hanged herself in her bedroom, prosecutors said.

The suspect allegedly sought a video recording of her death, hoping to gain status within the group or to secure entry into it.