Federal agents raided a California house on July 27 as part of an investigation into sex trafficking allegations and other serious criminal activities. Robert Shinn, the man behind Netflix’s controversial docuseries Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult, is at the centre of the probe. The property in question, located in Tujunga, is partially owned by the preacher. According to the report by the Los Angeles Times, several people working at the property were detained by police on Friday.
TikTok’s ‘Cult’ pastor’s house raided
According to the report, agents from the FBI, IRS, US Postal Service, and Department of Labor served warrants on multiple counts to the staff during the early morning of Friday, July 25. These included charges of “sex trafficking, money laundering, mail fraud, tax evasion, and COVID-19-related fraud,” according to the outlet. In footage from KTLA, at least six individuals were seen being handled by police in handcuffs, and one woman was holding a child. It is yet to be revealed who exactly is part of the investigation. For those who can recall, this is the same house shown in the Netflix docuseries that aired earlier this year and raked in millions of views, going viral for its claims accusing Shinn of running a “cult” disguised as a talent management firm and religious group. While more details on the incident are yet to be reported, one witness, according to the outlet, heard a flash-bang grenade go off around 6 a.m.
Who is Robert Shinn?
Robert Shinn, a self-proclaimed pastor who founded Shekinah Church in 1994. This is the same person who also created 7M Films in 2021, a management company for TikTok dancers. According to the documentary, many dancers were recruited through the firm but were later forced into the Shekinah Church and pressured to cut off contact with their families. Those who were once associated with 7M were featured in the documentary and accused Shinn of manipulation, spiritual abuse to financial exploitation and even sexual assault. According to dancer, Aubrey Fisher, the pastor forced him to give up to 70% of his income to the church, including what he described as “man of God” fee. Another, Melanie Goldman, said she once witnessed several girls “screaming at the top of their lungs” inside the church.
There is yet another story of a dancer who went viral in 2022 with an emotional Instagram video. Melanie Wilking was heard crying and pleading to her sister Miranda, who she said was “no longer in control” of her life. The sisters had grown popular on TikTok before Miranda joined 7M and stopped speaking to each other when Melanie left the group. However, they have since reconciled. Despite the backlash and scrutiny, Shinn has denied all claims of abuse or wrongdoing. According to him, both the church and 7M are different entities. Back in 2022, he even filed a defamation lawsuit against several former members who publicly referred to his organisation as a cult.
In the Netflix documentary, Shinn’s legal team stated that no criminal charges have been filed against him. However, now, the federal raid suggests law enforcement is looking into the allegations more seriously. As of now, the investigation is ongoing, and federal officials say they are continuing to collect information. No charges have been filed yet
