Search warrants served at Tujunga property tied to church profiled in ‘7M TikTok Cult’ documentary
Search warrants were served and several people were detained at a Tujunga property tied to Shekinah Church
By KABC Staff
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TUJUNGA, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Search warrants were served and several people were detained Friday at a Tujunga property tied to Shekinah Church, which was founded by Robert Israel Shinn and was the subject of the documentary “Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult.”
As profiled in the 2024 Netflix documentary, the church faced allegations of manipulation, abuse, and was accused of being a cult.
Video from the scene showed police speaking into a bullhorn and ordering anyone on the property to “come to the front door with your hands up. We have a search warrant.”
The warrants were part of an investigation involving alleged money-laundering and sex trafficking, according to the El Monte Police Department.
According to property records, the address where the warrants were executed is connected to Shekinah Church, some of whose former members have accused Shinn of operating a cult-like business through his talent-management company and his church.
“We’ve been dreaming about this day,” Melanie Lee, who appeared in the documentary, said Friday in an interview. “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.”
The El Monte Police Department said its SWAT team was assisting the FBI and U.S. Postal Service in the investigation.
AIR7 was over the home where at least seven people could be seen detained. No arrests were announced.
Meanwhile, investigators loaded cartons of possible evidence into an SUV.
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