A house linked to “TikTok Cult” pastor Robert Shinn was raided by federal brokers.
Authorities accessed a house on the 7700 block of McGroarty Avenue in Tujunga that's linked to a number of homeowners, together with Shinn, on Friday, July 25, the Los Angeles Times reported.
In accordance with native information outlet ABC7, “a number of” warrants had been issued and a number of folks had been detained on the property on Friday. The warrants are tied to an investigation into allegations of money-laundering and intercourse trafficking and had been served by the IRS in collaboration with the FBI and U.S. Postal Service. The El Monte Police Division additionally informed ABC7 its SWAT workforce is a part of the investigation.
The information outlet reported “at the least seven folks had been detained.”
Us Weekly reached out to the El Monte Police Division by way of e-mail and cellphone for remark. Us additionally reached out to the Shekinah Church for remark.
“U.S. Postal Inspection Service is working intently with our native, state, and federal regulation enforcement companions on this ongoing investigation,” Postal Inspector Patricia Mendoza informed the Occasions. “This stays an energetic case, and we're persevering with to collect and evaluate info.”
Shinn, the pastor of the Shekinah Church, was featured within the 2024 Netflix docuseries Dancing for the Satan: The 7M TikTok Cult. He was described as an “abusive cult chief” the Occasions famous, and followers claimed Shinn informed them they needed to “die” to their members of the family who didn't comply with him.
A number of former 7M dancers participated within the documentary and spoke out towards the abuse they allegedly acquired at Shinn's arms in Might 2024. Shinn has denied the allegations towards him, and an announcement on the finish of the docuseries learn, “No legal expenses have been introduced towards Shinn. He has beforehand denied sexually abusing any member of Shekinah or any shopper of 7M.”
Aubrey Fisher, a dancer who participated within the documentary, appeared on the NewsNation show Banfield in June 2024 to explain what he claimed he skilled.
“My expertise in Shekinah was very fascinating,” he defined on the time, whereas including that he didn't instantly understand issues won't be proper on the church till media protection instructed the 7M might be a cult.
Robert Shinn with Melanie Lee. Courtesy of Netflix
“[Shinn] needed to have all people go see our households, discuss to our buddies, guarantee that all the things that you simply do, submit it [online] in order that manner folks can see that all the things is regular and all the things simply seems like we're not in a cult in any respect. … That was once I was like, ‘OK, that is kinda fishy,'” he added.
In June 2024, fellow dancer Miranda Derrick broke her silence on the documentary, insisting she was not amongst those that had been allegedly abused.
“I wish to begin by saying that I respect the priority that has been expressed for my well-being. Resulting from pending litigation, through which I'm a plaintiff in a defamation lawsuit, it's not applicable for me to touch upon particular allegations. Although I'll state that I don't condone abuse in any manner,” Miranda, 27, started her assertion via Instagram.
Miranda added that although her mother and father and sister participated within the documentary, she believes it solely supplied “a one-sided story.”
“I really like my Mother, Dad and Melanie and they'll without end be part of my life. The reality is, we simply don't see eye to eye at the moment. I imagine that this documentary is a one-sided story,” Miranda continued. “I gave my life to Jesus Christ in 2020 and requested my household for some house within the very starting to gather my ideas and course of my new stroll I needed to take with God.”
“My household didn't honor the house I requested for and I noticed a special aspect of them I've by no means seen earlier than. Actually, it made me mad, pissed off and irritated that they had been being so overbearing and chaotic,” she stated.
Miranda, who's married to fellow 7M dancer James Derrick, continued, “I additionally informed my sister that I needed to proceed our wilkingsisters social media web page. She logged me out of our account and once I requested for entry again she denied my request. So I had no different alternative however to start out my very own account and pursue my very own profession.”
In the event you or somebody you realize has been sexually assaulted, contact the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
