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Dancing For The Devil: Where Is Robert Shinn Now? Current Whereabouts Explored
Claims made by former 7M clients mark the cult is reportedly masquerading under the talent management company 7M and led by Robert Shinn.
Trigger Warning: This article includes references to sexual abuse.
Netflix’s Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult is the chilling story of how self-declared ‘man of God’ and 7M founder, Robert Shinn manipulated and abused dancers for decades by forming an alleged cult-like environment. Now streaming on Netflix, the three-part docuseries follows a young dancer reportedly trapped in Shinn’s cult, who is also a pastor in the Shekinah Church based in Los Angeles.
Claims made by former 7M clients mark the cult is reportedly masquerading under the talent management company 7M. The disturbing allegations made against Robert Shinn have made headlines, sparking much intrigue about his whereabouts now that his story is out.
Where is Robert Shinn now?
While the allegations are concerning, there have been no formal criminal charges put against him; for luring in popular TikTok dancers only to exert control over their lives and detach them from their families with his and 7M’s diabolical tactics.
However, a civil lawsuit filed by several former 7M clients against Robert Shinn is ready to go to trial in July 2025, per Time. The lawsuit against Shinn, his wife, and other entities involved accuses them of “fraud, forced labor and human trafficking, as well as Robert of sexual battery,” the source states.
Since 2022, several former 7M clients and TikTok dancers have spoken out about their terrifying experience at 7M and Shekinah Church. As shown in the documentary’s trailer, a dancer can be heard saying, “It started out fairly innocuous but the control slowly grew.”
But as the news took over, Robert Shinn broke his silence amidst the chaos. A rep for 7M and Shinn condemned the allegations made by the dancers and their families and claimed it was all for bits of fame. Specifically, the Wilking family alleged that Robert Shinn had their other daughter, Miranda Derrick trapped in the cult while Melanie Wilking found her escape.
The statement read, “While the recent portrayals of Dr Robert Shinn and 7M Films have been wildly offensive and riddled with inaccuracies, those false claims will not deter 7M from supporting Miranda in whichever endeavors she chooses to pursue next…It is pathetic and contemptible to try to turn her private family matters into a tawdry public scandal for clicks and clout.” The statement also cited Miranda Derrick’s success as a businesswoman and thriving personal life to back their justification.
When did the outcry against 7M and Robert Shinn start?
It all began in 2022 when TikTok dancer Melanie Wilking and her parents voiced their concerns about their daughter Miranda Wilking (now Derrick) on a 40-minute Instagram Live. The video blew up on the internet and steered attention towards Shinn and his questionable activities. “This is a church but they’re also a management company. I just felt a little funny about that,” said Melanie Wilking in the trailer earlier this month. Once inseparable, Melanie notes that Miranda even got married without telling her parents after joining 7M.
Dancing for the Devil delves into the experiences of two pairs of sisters, influencers Melanie and Miranda Wilking and Melanie and Priscylla Lee, at the Shinn-founded talent management company. From both of the pairs, one sister managed to escape initially while one stayed back. Eventually, Priscylla also got herself out of the cult's clutches but Miranda remains trapped amidst Shinn’s alleged brain-washing and manipulation.
Shinn has been serving the Shekinah church since 1999 but founded the talent management company in 2021. While many might note the traverse of niche as strange, Shinn and his parties have denied all allegations made. One of the tactics that is followed under the 7M roof is asking dancers and clients to cut out their families to focus on their lives. “you have to die to your family in order to save them,” another influencer said in the trailer.
Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult premiered on May 29 and is now available to stream on Netflix.
Disclaimer: If you need support or know someone who is struggling with domestic violence or assault or abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.
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