Federal agents raided a Los Angeles-area home Friday morning in connection with a sex trafficking investigation involving the controversial pastor and talent manager at the center of Netflix’s explosive documentary series.
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Breaking: Federal Raid Targets Alleged Cult Leader
Federal and local law enforcement served a search warrant for alleged sex trafficking at a home owned by Robert Israel Shinn, the controversial pastor and subject of the Netflix docuseries “Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult.” The joint operation was conducted by FBI agents and the El Monte Tactical Team around 6 a.m. at a home located at 7744 McGroarty Street in Tujunga.
According to authorities, arrest warrants were served for multiple crimes, including money laundering, mail fraud, tax evasion, sex trafficking, and COVID-19 pandemic fraud. SkyFOX video from the scene showed law enforcement officers speaking with at least five people who appeared to be handcuffed in front of the large property. An elderly lady who appeared to be in a wheelchair was also sitting among the group.
The TikTok Dancers at the Center of the Storm
The raid represents a dramatic escalation in a case that has captivated social media for years. 7M Films, founded by Shinn in 2021, allegedly helped social media stars and TikTok dancers find jobs in Los Angeles. However, the series focuses on allegations made by multiple former clients of 7M and members of Shinn’s Shekinah Church, including accusations of physical and sexual abuse as well as allegations that 7M and the Shekinah Church took up to 80% of clients’ gross pay via a variety of fees and required donations to the church.
The most high-profile case involves the Wilking sisters—Miranda and Melanie—who became famous as a TikTok dance duo. Miranda and her younger sister, Melanie Wilking, are both dancers who previously branded themselves together as The Wilking Sisters. In 2022, Melanie Wilking and her parents made waves when they publicly suggested 7M was a cult and that Miranda was being manipulated and exploited.
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A Family Torn Apart
Over two years ago, a 40-minute-long public plea made on Instagram Live rippled across social media. In the video, TikTok dancer Melanie Wilking and her parents claimed they had lost all contact with her 25-year-old sister, Miranda — now, Miranda Derrick — to a “religious organization” and that she was “no longer in control” of her life.
The family’s public plea exposed what they described as systematic isolation and manipulation. The trio had gone live on Instagram Feb. 24, 2022, to lament that Miranda had “cut off all ties” and they were out of options, other than to take their concerns public. They specifically asked for help from anyone who used to be part of Shinn’s organizations.
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The Man Behind the Alleged Cult
Self-proclaimed “man of God” Shinn, who founded Shekinah Church in 1994, helped create 7M Films in 2021, and the LA-based talent management company allegedly lured dancers with promises of turning them into TikTok stars. Some of those dancers were also conscripted into the Shekinah Church and acted as recruiters for 7M, which they claim is inseparable from the religious organization.
Former members paint a disturbing picture of Shinn’s control methods. Other former dancers also claimed that there is no distinction between 7M and the church, with Shinn instructing members in fiery sermons shown in the doc to “die to” their families, or no longer have contact with them. Dancer Aubrey Fisher, a former 7M and Shekinah member, claimed Shinn forced him to give as much as 70% of his income to the twisted church — including a 10% “man of God fee” for himself.
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Allegations of Abuse and Exploitation
The Netflix documentary features harrowing testimonies from former members. A summary from a 2024 Time article described the series as revealing “claims from multiple former 7M members about how Shinn abused and manipulated them and created a cult-like environment.” Melanie Goldman, a former dancer and parishioner, claimed in the documentary that she saw “half a dozen girls” run into the church “screaming at the top of their lungs.”
Melanie Lee joined Shekinah Church at the age of 15 and left in her 20s. She accuses Pastor Shinn of abuse and running the group as a cult. After years of urging law enforcement to investigate, she now says she feels vindicated. “We’ve been dreaming about this day,” Melanie Lee, who appeared in the documentary, said Friday in an interview. “We’ve been praying about this day, for the day that — the beginning of where justice will be served for all the victims — and to hopefully prevent young people joining organizations like this.”
Miranda’s Defense and Ongoing Controversy
Throughout the ordeal, Miranda Derrick has consistently denied being held against her will. In a previous statement released to media, Miranda said, “I am not held against my will and I’ve never been a hostage. I go to church and I have faith in God. If one day I wish to pursue my faith elsewhere, I will and feel completely free to do that.”
Following the Netflix documentary’s release, Miranda issued a lengthy statement defending herself and 7M. “My parents and sister are not religious. They immediately called me going to church twice a week a ‘cult,’” Miranda said as she branded the new Netflix docuseries “one-sided.” “I can’t convince anyone to believe anything. I am just a woman trying to live my life. I am not a victim, I am not in any harm, I am not being abused.”
Legal Battles Intensify
The Friday raid comes as multiple legal cases involving Shinn and his organizations are pending. In 2022, Shinn filed a lawsuit claiming defamation and trade libel against several former church members, alleging the defendants made “false statements” referring to Shinn’s organizations as a cult. The following year, Davis, Fisher and Douglas, among others, joined a cross-complaint with the former church members against Shinn, his wife, their entities and other affiliated individuals. The claims accuse them of fraud, forced labor and human trafficking, as well as Robert of sexual battery. The case is scheduled to go to trial in July 2025 in Los Angeles.
The Director’s Perspective
Derek Doneen, who directed the Netflix documentary, expressed hope that the raid would bring justice to victims. “I hope the families that have been torn apart are able to be reunited and Robert’s victims are finally able to get the closure, healing and justice they deserve,” Derek Doneen, the director of the Netflix documentary, said in a statement.
What’s Next
Federal agents with the IRS, U.S. Postal Service, U.S. Labor Department and FBI were all part of the morning raid. While multiple people were detained during the operation, it remains unclear whether formal arrests were made or if Shinn himself was present during the raid.
The case has brought renewed attention to how social media platforms can be exploited by manipulative organizations targeting young, ambitious content creators. As legal proceedings continue and federal investigations intensify, the full scope of the alleged exploitation at 7M Films and Shekinah Church may finally come to light.
The story serves as a cautionary tale about the intersection of social media fame, religious manipulation, and financial exploitation in the digital age—a complex web that has torn families apart and left former members seeking justice for years of alleged abuse.
