At dawn, the quiet streets of Tujunga erupted with flash-bangs and the shouts of federal agents. Their target: the home of Robert Shinn—the pastor accused of running the infamous TikTok cult that Netflix turned into a chilling docuseries.
On Friday morning, a swarm of agencies—the FBI, IRS, U.S. Postal Service, Department of Labor, and local SWAT—descended on Shinn’s gated property at 7744 McGroarty Street. Neighbors watched as officers detained at least six people, including an older woman and a mother clutching a child. The scene was chaotic, but the allegations driving the raid are even darker: sex trafficking, money laundering, tax evasion, and pandemic-era fraud.
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The Man Behind the TikTok Cult Screen
To his followers, Shinn is the charismatic founder of Shekinah Church and 7M Films, a talent agency that promised to catapult dancers to social media stardom. To critics—and former members—he’s a manipulative leader who used religion and influence to control, isolate, and exploit young performers.
Shinn gained worldwide notoriety after the Netflix docuseries Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult exposed allegations of emotional abuse, financial control, and sexual misconduct inside his circle. Former 7M dancers accused him of pressuring members to sever ties with family, turn over earnings, and adhere to extreme spiritual teachings. While no criminal charges for sexual assault have been brought against him, civil lawsuits accuse Shinn of fraud, forced labor, human trafficking, and sexual battery.
Shinn and his company have denied all allegations, calling the Netflix series “a slanderous work of fiction” and part of a “failed extortion attempt.” He has also filed defamation suits against former members.
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The Cult Allegations Turn Criminal
The federal investigation suggests the accusations may go far beyond cult-like behavior. Friday’s raid was part of an active probe involving multiple agencies, who declined to release further details, citing the ongoing case. Postal Inspector Patricia Mendoza confirmed only that authorities were “continuing to gather and review information.”
Neighbors described the property as eerie and closed-off for years.
“This is a quiet neighborhood,” one resident told the LA Times. “We never saw anything out of the ordinary—until today.”
The raid follows months of mounting legal pressure on Shinn. A civil trial pitting him against former members is set for October 27, 2025, and the federal investigation is still unfolding.
The raid has reignited fears about how far the alleged abuse may have gone—and how many victims could still be trapped in Shinn’s network. For now, the gates of his Tujunga estate are silent, but the investigation is only just beginning.
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