A home in Los Angeles co-owned by Robert Israel Shinn, the leader of group accused of being a cult known as Shekinah Church International, was raided by a team of local and federal officers who served a warrant for sex trafficking, tax evasion, mail fraud and money laundering.
The raid last Friday came a year after the group faced allegations of abuse and manipulation from former members in a Netflix documentary called “Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult.”
That documentary followed claims from three dancers and several others who worked with 7M Films, a talent management company also founded by Shinn, who alleged they were exploited.
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The El Monte Police Department told TMZ that its SWAT team assisted the U.S. Postal Service and the FBI on the morning of July 25 in serving the warrant at the Tujunga home.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is working closely with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners on this ongoing investigation. This remains an active case, and we are continuing to gather and review information. We will provide further updates as the investigation allows,’ a spokesperson for the USPS told TMZ.
Reacting to the raid, Melanie Lee, who appeared in the documentary, praised the move.
“We’ve been dreaming about this day,” she told Eyewitness News. “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.”
Information about the cult’s leadership is limited on its website, which claims that “Shekinah Church International was born with the calling of saving one billion souls, raising up leaders for the Body of Christ and supporting the gospel with all means.”
It continues, “We are called to save one billion souls directly and indirectly. We are called to bridge the gap between many different streams of office of the five-fold ministry.”
The Netflix documentary features interviews with former members and family of current members, including TikTok dancers signed to 7M Films.
“Shekinah is a cult operating under the guise of a religious institution,” a cross-complaint from Aubrey Fisher-Greene, Kylie Douglas, Kevin “Konkrete” Davis and several other complainants cited by Rolling Stone said in 2023.
“Robert refers to himself as ‘the Man of God’ and preaches to Shekinah members and that [sic] without submitting to him and without Shekinah, their lives will be cursed. Robert required full physical and economic […] control [sic] over Shekinah members.”
The documentary’s director, Derek Doneen, told Eyewitness News in a statement that he hopes the victims find closure.
“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,” he said.
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