Project Compass is Europol’s new playbook for taking on The Com | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"Officials said 30 perpetrators have been arrested in the past year, and global law enforcement cooperation is closing the gap.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/project-compass-the-com-europol\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Project Compass is Europol's new playbook for taking on The Com\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Officials said 30 perpetrators have been arrested in the past year, and global law enforcement cooperation is closing the gap.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/project-compass-the-com-europol\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cyberscoop\/\"> <meta 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<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> Officials said 30 perpetrators have been arrested in the past year, and global law enforcement cooperation is closing the gap. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/87969\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/project-compass-is-europols-new-playbook-for-taking-on-the-com.webp?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/project-compass-is-europols-new-playbook-for-taking-on-the-com-1.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/project-compass-is-europols-new-playbook-for-taking-on-the-com-1.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/project-compass-is-europols-new-playbook-for-taking-on-the-com-1.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/project-compass-is-europols-new-playbook-for-taking-on-the-com-1.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/project-compass-is-europols-new-playbook-for-taking-on-the-com-1.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/project-compass-is-europols-new-playbook-for-taking-on-the-com-1.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/project-compass-is-europols-new-playbook-for-taking-on-the-com-1.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/project-compass-is-europols-new-playbook-for-taking-on-the-com-1.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/project-compass-is-europols-new-playbook-for-taking-on-the-com-1.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/project-compass-is-europols-new-playbook-for-taking-on-the-com-1.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency, is pictured at its headquarters building on June 24, 2020 in The Hague, Netherlands. (Photo by Yuriko Nakao\/Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"44.038663484487\"><body readability=\"89.532271131515\"><\/p>\n<p>A global law enforcement effort has taken root to combat The Com, a sprawling nihilistic network of thousands of minors and young adults engaged in various forms of cybercrime, including physical violence and extortion.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.europol.europa.eu\/operations-services-and-innovation\/operations\/project-compass\">Project Compass<\/a>, an operation coordinated by Europol with support from 28 countries, including all members of the Five Eyes, has resulted in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.europol.europa.eu\/media-press\/newsroom\/news\/project-compass-first-operational-results-against-com-network\">arrest of 30 perpetrators<\/a> since the initiative got underway in January 2025, authorities said in a news release Thursday. <\/p>\n<p>Officials said sustained countermeasures have contributed to the full and partial identification of 179 perpetrators, while the operation has also safeguarded four victims and identified up to 62 victims. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/tag\/the-com\/\">The Com<\/a> is <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/fbi-warning-the-com-cybercrime-extortion-violence\/\">splintered into three primary subsets<\/a> with different objectives the FBI describes as Hacker Com, In Real Life Com and Extortion Com. Crimes attributed to group members have grown increasingly complex, with perpetrators going to great lengths to mask identities, hide financial transactions and launder money. <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cThese networks deliberately target children in the digital spaces where they feel most at ease,\u201d Anna Sj\u00f6berg, head of Europol\u2019s European Counter Terrorism Centre, said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>Various branches of The Com have been linked to high-profile crimes over the past few years, and law enforcement has responded with heightened activity and interest in the group\u2019s activities. <\/p>\n<p>The Com is vast \u2014 many perpetrators remain at large and even more victims are still suffering and awaiting aid. <\/p>\n<p>This growing global effort to thwart shifting crime trends with appropriate resources has built a foundation that will foster results beyond those achieved to date, said Allison Nixon, chief research officer at Unit 221B.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time,\u201d she told CyberScoop. \u201cThe Com represents a major social problem impacting youth, and peoples\u2019 expectations need to be realistic. These early numbers and ramping up effort over time is what success looks like and we need to encourage that.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>An effective police response to The Com requires a different way of thinking and retooling, \u201cbut it is more solvable than crime originating from hostile nations,\u201d Nixon said.<\/p>\n<p>Project Compass is built around an information-sharing network, which enables each of the partner nations to assist with investigations across various specialized units. Countries are also sharing advice for preventative measures and mobilizing data sprints to bring intelligence together for ongoing cases.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cProject Compass allows us to intervene earlier, safeguard victims and disrupt those who exploit vulnerability for extremist purposes,\u201d Sj\u00f6berg said. \u201cNo country can address this threat alone \u2014 and through this cooperation, we are closing the gaps they try to hide in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Europol did not identify the 30 people arrested under Project Compass thus far. Yet, at least some of those cases are public. <\/p>\n<p>Authorities during the past year have arrested multiple members of a Com offshoot known as <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/the-com-764-cybercrime-violent-crime-fbi-intellignce-report\/\">764<\/a>, which is a growing online threat to coerce vulnerable children to produce child sexual abuse material of themselves, gor material, self mutilation, sibling abuse, animal abuses and other acts of violence. <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Two <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/764-leaders-arrested-charged-child-sextortion\/\">alleged leaders of 764<\/a>, Leonidas Varagiannis and Prasan Nepal, were arrested and charged for directing and distributing CSAM in April.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/764-tony-christopher-long-california-charged\/\">Tony Christoper Long<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/764-offshoot-leader-alexis-chavez-guilty\/\">Alexis Aldair Chavez<\/a> both pleaded guilty late last year to multiple crimes linked to their involvement with the extremist group. Other alleged 764 members have been arrested in the United States more recently, including <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/erik-lee-madison-alleged-764-member-arrested\/\">Erik Lee Madison<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/764-member-arrested-charged-csam-new-york\/\">Aaron Corey<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"3.6851851851852\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"14\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/project-compass-is-europols-new-playbook-for-taking-on-the-com.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Matt Kapko\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Matt Kapko<\/h4>\n<p> Matt Kapko is a reporter at CyberScoop. His beat includes cybercrime, ransomware, software defects and vulnerability (mis)management. The lifelong Californian started his journalism career in 2001 with previous stops at Cybersecurity Dive, CIO, SDxCentral and RCR Wireless News. 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Scoop","author_link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/author\/cyberscoop\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/764\/\" rel=\"category tag\">764<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/cybercrime\/\" rel=\"category tag\">cybercrime<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/cybersecurity\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Cybersecurity<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/europe\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Europe<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/europol\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Europol<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/federal-bureau-of-investigation-fbi\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/five-eyes\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Five Eyes<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/the-com\/\" rel=\"category tag\">The Com<\/a> <a 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{"id":8385,"date":"2026-02-26T15:21:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T21:21:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=87969"},"modified":"2026-02-26T15:21:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T21:21:14","slug":"project-compass-is-europols-new-playbook-for-taking-on-the-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2026\/02\/26\/project-compass-is-europols-new-playbook-for-taking-on-the-com\/","title":{"rendered":"Project Compass is Europol\u2019s new playbook for taking on The Com"},"content":{"rendered":"