Netflix‘s new docuseries, Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult, tells the stories of former church members and TikTok dancers who are all connected to one man: Robert Shinn.
The controversial CEO of 7M Films and his son Isiah Shinn founded the 7M Films talent agency in 2021. This was far from Shinn’s first business endeavor; he founded Shekinah Church in 1994, and several businesses where former church members say they experienced financial misconduct at Shinn’s hands.
In Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult, both former 7M Films dancers, like Melanie Wilking, and former Shekinah Church members, like sisters Melanie Lee and Priscylla Lee, accuse Shinn of exerting cult-like control over his organizations’ members.
At least three former Shekinah Church members, including the Lee sisters, have accused Shinn of sexual abuse, which included grooming, sexual assault, and coercion of church members using his position as a so-called “Man of God.” Former Shekinah Church members, such as Lydia Chung, have also alleged Shinn controlled them financially, broke labor laws, engaged in human trafficking, and committed fraud. Chung sued Shekinah Church and Robert Shinn in 2009, claiming she was pressured to give them $ 3.8 million USD.
Former 7M Films dancers and their loved ones, on the other hand, claim Shinn is forcing 7M dancers to cut ties with their families. Forbes reports that 7M members were allegedly encouraged to cut contact with their loved ones in order to “save” them.
Dying to yourself means that whatever you want or whatever you need, you have to ‘die to it,’ because whenever you die to something, it’ll come back to life and resurrect.
— Former 7M Films member
Where is Robert Shinn now? According to People, he is still in California. Despite the controversy and allegations, no criminal charges have been filed against Shinn, Shekinah Church, or 7M Films. Lydia Chung lost the lawsuit she launched against Shinn in 2009.
According to CNN, Shinn filed a lawsuit in 2022 for defamation and trade libel, and he intends to go through with it.
No criminal charges have been brought against Shinn. He has previously denied sexually abusing any member of Shekinah or any client of 7M. The civil lawsuit is ongoing. Robert and his co-defendants deny the claims against them. The case is set to go to trial in 2025.
— Netflix
