‘We’re just reporting a crime’
Civilian groups say they’re stopping online predators
At the start of an 81-minute live stream, a calm voice reassures a man using an oxygen tank that no one is there to hurt him.
But, the voice says, “We do record, just for safety.”
At first glance, the video looks like one from a police body camera. In reality, it’s a social media live stream from one of several civilian groups whose members go undercover to catch people they contend are trying to victimize children.
In that video, broadcast by Bikers Against Predators, the target was a Southwestern Pennsylvania man. Last month, a second area man found himself face-to-face with members of Niky Sal, an Erie-based group.
Both cases involved allegations of inappropriate contact with an underaged girl, but in both cases, there was no girl. It was a group member posing as one to help build a criminal case.
“We’re small, but we’re efficient,” said Robert “Boot” Bloom, who leads BAP, a nine-person nonprofit group based out of the state of Indiana.
Bloom and Nicholas Attalla, a member of Niky Sal, both say group members aren’t vigilantes.
“We’re investigative journalists that report a crime,” Bloom said.
“It’s no different than if a house right next to you was selling drugs everyday. … We’re just reporting a crime,” he said.
Self-described predator hunter groups are on the rise across the country. A 2024 Oxford study that examined online predator groups confirmed at least 191 such groups participated in more than 1,000 raids across the country in 2023.
Bloom said his organization has participated in 419 raids since its inception in 2021. There has never been a falsely identified target, he said.
BAP and Niky Sal are primarily funded by donations from online followers, organizers said. Recently, BAP launched a $4.99 monthly subscription option on its Facebook page which offers “exclusive content” and discounts on merchandise.
BAP already has nonprofit status, while Niky Sal is in the process of seeking it.
According to a 2023 tax return, BAP reported about $135,000 in revenue and around $112,000 in expenses, though, said Bloom, “It’s never truly been about the money.”
Donations go toward a number of things, including travel expenses and the prepaid phones they use to communicate with the people they’re investigating, according to Bloom.
He and Attalla work with their respective groups on top of their regular jobs.
“It’s nonstop,” said Bloom, who is taking time off next week to go to Oklahoma for another sting.
Both men said the reason they got into predator hunting was a drive for justice, while Attalla said he understands firsthand what it’s like to be a victim of sexual assault.
“My drive for justice stemmed off of being a victim at 9 years old …It’s like a version of therapy,” Attalla said.
Bloom said most of his staff have also suffered at the hands of abusers as children.
“I think most of our team members are drawn to this organization because they see that we’re out here making a difference,” he said.