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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Tim Milgram is a director, cinematographer, and producer in the <keyword id="22233570" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Los-Angeles-dance-community" source="keywords">Los Angeles dance community</keyword>.</li><li>After learning about the management company 7M's control over some of his peers, Milgram wanted to do something.</li></ul>One day over dinner in 2019, Tim Milgram got some disappointing but understandable news. Isaiah Shinn, who shot video for his production company and dance studio, told him he'd be parting ways with the company to work for his father, who wanted to "invest in him." Milgram wasn't surprised that Shinn would depart to join the family business. But he was surprised when he later learned that the family business was <keyword id="22233571" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="7M-Films" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="7M Films" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="7M Films">7M Films</keyword>, a management company that would come to be dubbed "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/robert-shinn-dancing-for-the-devil-7m-tiktok-cult-creators-2024-6">the TikTok cult</a>." It would take more than two years for Milgram to connect the dots. The director and producer in the Los Angeles dance scene had worked with former 7M members<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AqWP4pqSRw"> BDash and Konkrete</a> on his own content and had crossed paths with content creators <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/where-is-miranda-wilking-tiktok-cult-7m-robert-shinn-2024-5">the Wilking sisters</a> at events. So when Melanie Wilking and her parents <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CaYQL7dJ9DR/">posted an emotional livestream</a> saying they had lost all contact with Miranda and alleging that she was "no longer in control of her life," Milgram knew he had to do something. The result is "Dancing for the Devil: The 7M <keyword id="22233572" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="TikTok-cult" source="keywords">TikTok Cult</keyword>," a three-part Netflix series that alleges <keyword id="22233573" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shekinah-Church" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Shekinah Church" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Shekinah Church">Shekinah Church</keyword> pastor <keyword id="22233574" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Robert-Shinn" source="keywords">Robert Shinn</keyword> lured Los Angeles content creators to his talent management company<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/7m-films-tiktok-shekinah-church-robert-shinn-dance-cult-miranda-derrick"> 7M Films</a> and subjected them to sexual abuse, as well as cult-like behavior, including encouraging content creators to cut ties with family members. (Shinn has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/7m-dancer-and-shekinah-church-member-miranda-derrick-calls-netflix-doc-one-sided">denied</a> all allegations against him.) The series, on which Milgram serves as a co-executive producer, has been wildly successful in spreading the word about 7M: In its first five days, it amassed 8.8 million views and was one of the most-watched original series on the streamer, according to Netflix's <a href="https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/netflix-top-10-streaming-ratings-may-27-1236033789/" target="_blank">Top 10 list data</a>. "I think it's a beautiful thing for us to be able to stand up against something like that," Milgram told Business Insider of creating the doc. "For us in the dance community to be able to stand up and say, 'No, this is not okay for an organization like this to take advantage of dancers' — that is a triumph." Below, Milgram talks to Business Insider about the documentary's inception and what he hopes will change now that the world has seen it. <div type="image" title="Tim Milgream wears a black T-shirt and black baseball cap standing against a rainbow graffiti wall." height="1072" width="1074" msid="111349846" hostid="261"></div>What started it all? When did you first think about making a documentary about 7M? When I saw <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CaYQL7dJ9DR/">that video</a>, my heart sank. The Wilkings were so careful not to say the wrong thing. And it seemed like they were genuinely scared. They didn't want to cause any harm, do anything that would push their daughter further away. And seeing how genuine they were in that video… a lot of people in the dance community saw it and started talking to each other. I did some of that as well. But I also started digging, trying to find records of anything pertaining to Robert's businesses, dealings that might connect him to this thing. At the same time, people on the internet started posting about it. I started putting this all together: Wow, this seems to go really, really far back: This isn't just about 7M management. There has been something going on for multiple decades. What happened next? The day after seeing their video, I called the Wilkings. We spoke for about an hour and a half. It was an incredibly emotional experience for me because I felt like I really needed to help them. There was a lot that they didn't and couldn't say in the video. And what I talked to them about brought me to tears. I was pacing around my house, just wiping tears away. I knew after that phone call that it was going to be my mission to try to help them. <div type="image" title="Tim Milgram in a grey T-shirt holding a camera and Isaiah Shinn in a black T-shirt holding lighting on a video shoot." height="1000" width="1500" msid="111349847" hostid="261"></div>You had been well-acquainted with Isaiah and even met the Shinn family. I knew they were religious. Isaiah came across as a very wholesome, friendly Christian man. I thought he was a very respectful guy. However, when I asked about his faith, I got really vague answers, but I never pushed. I always got a strange vibe when I was [at the Shinn house] working with Isaiah. What were your first impressions of 7M's content creators? I thought the videos were great. At first, I was rooting them on, like, wow, these videos are going super viral. And what a successful thing Isaiah was doing, I applauded it. Then, after seeing the [Wilking] video and realizing this whole time that what I'd been watching is not what I thought it was — that was a really visceral thing for me. What motivated you and your producing partner <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/brianafrapart/">Briana Frapart </a>to pitch this as a documentary? Dancers are always being taken advantage of. We're paid late, certain jobs don't have the best working conditions or the best rates. Companies wanting to take advantage of genuinely talented people — this is not something new. This is just a different version that nobody has seen before. Watching as this organization in an organized manner take advantage of dancers, doing what it did to their families — I couldn't let that be. I've been in Los Angeles for almost 14 years now. I've pursued dance professionally, I opened my own dance studio. I've been filming dancers the majority of the time I've been here, and I've created an immense amount of content. I've seen these situations, heard all these stories, and been in situations where things felt unfair. When I saw that video, I felt like I wasn't just trying to help their family. I felt like I was trying to help my family. <div type="image" title="Melanie Wilking in &quot;Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult.&quot;" height="2160" width="3840" msid="111349849" hostid="261"></div>How did you approach the Wilking family and Melanie to convince them to participate? It was a long process of maintaining a relationship with them. At first it was just me, then it was Jessica [Acevedo, an executive producer]. It was building a foundation of trust that we were going to handle this with the utmost care, that we weren't out to just make some money or make a thing about their family to try to exploit them. Because that was absolutely not the case. The first five months were brutal. We reached out to friends of 7M members, as well as choreographers who worked with them. A lot of people were scared; they were hesitant to comment or be involved. Nobody wanted to take the risk. And we didn't really know the details of what was happening. We were digging in the dark, just trying to figure out, what really is this thing? We needed [the Wilkings] to know that all of us, including them, were in alignment on what we wanted the outcome to be. And because of the nature of the situation that Miranda was in, it's very hard for any family — not just the Wilkings — to know what the right thing is to do in that situation. So yeah, it took time. Have you talked to Isaiah since he left? We remained in contact a little bit at the beginning of 2020, but we just stopped talking after that. What do you hope for him? Ultimately, Isaiah is a victim whether or not he benefits from being in the business with his dad. Isaiah is somebody who I used to call a friend, and hopefully can call a friend again. I would genuinely love for that to happen. What do you hope the series' impact will be? I want this organization to stop what it's doing. I believe that there is a future where every victim of this thing comes out of it and finds their own path in life. To me, that's the most important thing. Seeing this at No. 1 on Netflix was a surreal moment of some victory. When people say congratulations, there's a bit of bittersweet sorrow because I want the impact of the documentary, which might not come right away. And hopefully the impact is that people put pressure on this organization and put pressure on Robert. That's the only way that any kind of change is going to happen. But at the moment of this interview, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dancing-for-the-devil-miranda-derrick-wasnt-brainwashed-robert-shinn-2024-6">Miranda is still in the organization</a>. That was initially the driving force for me to want to get involved in pursuing this. It was not to get a <keyword id="22233569" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Netflix-documentary" source="keywords">Netflix documentary</keyword>. It was the outcome that still hasn't happened yet. So when I hear Congratulations, it's No. 1, that's awesome. But I can't fully accept it. I feel a certain sadness. I'm not a documentary filmmaker. My origin is filming dance, being a dancer, and providing a physical space for people to train and to find community. It's not about my career as a filmmaker or as a producer. It's about leaving a legacy of some sort of positive change in our dance community. This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

A cult was taking over his Los Angeles dance community. He made a Netflix documentary to spread the word.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Robert Shinn is the focus of Netflix's "Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult."</li><li>The pastor is the founder of the Shekinah Church and the owner of 7M Films Inc.</li></ul>Netflix's "Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult" tells the story of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meghan-markle-starred-in-random-encounters-movie-by-robert-shinn-2022-4">Robert Shinn</a>, a church pastor who was accused of sexual harassment, fraud, and forced labor by TikTok dancers signed to his management label.Shinn founded the nondenominational Shekinah Church in Los Angeles, in 1994. The Netflix docuseries reported that Shinn later started the talent agency 7M Films Inc. in 2021 when his son, videographer Isaiah Shinn, began working with content creators on TikTok.The three-part docuseries mainly focuses on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/where-is-miranda-wilking-tiktok-cult-7m-robert-shinn-2024-5">TikTok star Miranda Derrick</a>, whose family became concerned about her involvement with Shinn's church, believing she cut ties with them because of his teachings. In a lengthy Instagram post on June 4, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dancing-for-the-devil-miranda-derrick-wasnt-brainwashed-robert-shinn-2024-6">Derrick denied</a> that Shinn manipulated her.However, in 2022, other <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/7m-films-tiktok-shekinah-church-robert-shinn-dance-cult-miranda-derrick">former Shekinah members told Business Insider</a> that Shinn "brainwashed" them. They claimed that he used isolation and intimidation tactics to keep them in line and that he also had access to their bank accounts to control their income.A 7M representative denied the allegations at the time, and said that "at no point" had Shinn isolated anyone or attempted to take "control of anyone's bank account."Here's where Shinn is now.<h2 id="bda7e46e-8703-475c-a56b-d8f605286e1e">Robert Shinn is facing a civil lawsuit that goes to trial in 2025</h2><div type="image" title="Robert Shinn in &quot;Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult.&quot;" height="2139" width="2852" msid="110771046" hostid="261"></div>The third episode of "Dancing for the Devil" explained that Shinn filed a defamation suit against former Shekinah members and sisters Priscylla Leigh and Melanie Lee in 2022. Shinn claimed that the siblings, along with three other former members of the church, used "false statements" to refer to Shekinah as a cult on social media.The group, including the sisters, filed a counter-suit in 2023, accusing Shinn of fraud, sexual abuse, and forced labor, <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/28/style/netflix-docuseries-7m-tiktok-culture-queue/index.html">CNN </a>reported, citing court documents. The case will go to trial in July 2025. Shinn is not facing criminal charges.Shocking footage in the docuseries shows the group following Shinn from Shekinah Church to a nearby restaurant to serve him legal papers.In a statement to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tyla.com/entertainment/netflix/netflix-dancing-for-the-devil-cult-psychologist-explains-091657-20240605">Tyla </a>on June 5, Helen Shinn, the pastor's wife, denied the sister's accusations and claimed they were attempting to extort her husband.She said: "Two years ago, Melanie Lee Goldman, Priscylla Leigh aka Elisha Priscylla Leigh and their co-conspirators launched a concerted smear campaign to defame Robert Shinn, his family, and his business associates after Mr. Shinn did not capitulate to Ms. Leigh's extortion demands."Despite sworn statements from co-conspirators that confirm the scheme by Ms. Goldman and Ms. Leigh to disseminate widespread lies, Netflix recklessly provided a global platform to peddle a false narrative that is at the center of ongoing litigation."In 2022, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/18032244/tiktok-cult-mansion-los-angeles-robert-shinn/">The Sun</a> reported that Shinn lived with his son in a $2.5 million mansion in Studio City, Los Angeles. Using photos from Arzuman Brothers home developers, it said that content creators working with 7M used the location to film dance videos. It's unclear if the pastor still resides in the property.<a target="_blank" href="https://shekinahchurch.com/">The Church's website</a> indicates that it is still operating today, and claims that its goal is to save "one billion souls."

What happened to Robert Shinn, the pastor who's the focus of Netflix's 'Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult'

Netflix's 'Dancing for the Devil' introduced the world to Robert Shinn and the '7M TikTok cult.' Here are the biggest creators with links to the pastor. 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>TikTok star Miranda Derrick said she hasn't been "brainwashed" by pastor Robert Shinn.</li><li>"Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult" focuses on the dancer's involvement with Shinn.</li></ul>TikTok star <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/7m-films-tiktok-shekinah-church-robert-shinn-dance-cult-miranda-derrick">Miranda Derrick</a> has broken her silence about a documentary that alleges she is in a cult.Netflix's "Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult" looks at a controversial Christian pastor, Robert Shinn, and the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/7m-films-tiktok-shekinah-church-robert-shinn-dance-cult-miranda-derrick">Shekinah Church, </a>a small nondenominational Christian ministry he founded.The docuseries follows several TikTok dancers who are part of an alleged cult run by Shinn, which is believed to be posing as management company, 7M.It charts how Derrick started out on YouTube with her sister, Melanie Wilking, where they vlogged their lives as they worked to become professional dancers in Los Angeles.In "Dancing for the Devil," Wilking explains that the two sisters parted ways soon after Derrick started attending Shekinah Church in Los Angeles and that she later signed with Shinn's management firm, 7M Films Inc.On Tuesday, Derrick addressed the docuseries in a lengthy statement on her <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE4MDM2NDA1NzYwNzg3ODcy?story_media_id=3383175044958882162&amp;igsh=OTEyaGYwa3B1MTVl">Instagram story</a> and gave her side of the situation regarding the split from her sister and their family."To keep it simple, I did not want to be around them at that time because I felt threatened by them," she said, adding that she felt like they were also trying to control her behavior.She went on to say that her family isn't religious, claiming that's why they don't understand why she goes to church, before denying their claims that Shinn brainwashed her."This documentary has created a further challenge between us as I work to overcome this public attack," Derrick explained. "No one likes to be portrayed as their brainwashed/ not in control of her own life shell of herself/human trafficked daughter/ sister when that just isn't the truth." "I can't convince anyone to believe anything. I am just a woman trying to live my life. I am not a victim, I am not in any harm, I am not being abused," she continued. "I've never asked my family or anyone else to 'help' me in any way. Respectfully, what I choose to do with my life is up to me."On June 2, Wilking also gave an update on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE4MDM2MDM2MzEzNzkxMjM3?story_media_id=3381695190015157385&amp;igsh=MXd3cW9pZmpxNWgzMw==">Instagram</a> about her relationship with her sister, explaining that they've since reconnected and that Derrick came to her wedding."We believe that one day my sister and the other victims will realize their love for their families and faith was exploited. When that happens, we will be here for them without judgment," she wrote. The three-part docuseries includes interviews with several TikTok dancers who detail what it was like to be part of the church and their reasons for leaving Shekinah.They allege that Shinn's teachings encouraged them to cut ties with their families as a way of saving them in the eyes of God, as well as donating over half of their TikTok earnings back to the Church.It's unclear how much Shinn and Shekinah have made from 7M, but in 2009, former member Lydia Chung filed a lawsuit alleging that Shinn defrauded her of $4 million. According to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/inside-the-cult-claims-surrounding-miranda-derrick-and-her-tiktok-dance-crew-7m-films">Daily Beast</a>, the judge ruled in Shinn's favor.In 2022, Shinn filed a defamation suit against former members of the church, and they later filed a counter-suit accusing Shinn of fraud, sexual harassment, and forced labor.Their case is set to go to trial in July 2025, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/28/style/netflix-docuseries-7m-tiktok-culture-queue/index.html">CNN</a>.A representative for Shinn denied the accusations in a statement to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10636769/PICTURED-Pastor-cult-TikTok-stars-family-say-held-against-will.html">Daily Mail</a> in 2022, saying: "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."

'Dancing for the Devil' TikToker Miranda Derrick says she wasn't 'brainwashed' by a dance cult: 'I am not a victim'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Miranda Derrick (née Wilking) is one of the subjects of "Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult."</li><li>Derrick released a statement on the documentary, saying that she was not a "victim.'"</li></ul>The new Netflix docuseries "Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult" investigates allegations that a management company with multiple dancers on its roster was a cult.The series focuses on 7M, a talent management company <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meghan-markle-starred-in-random-encounters-movie-by-robert-shinn-2022-4">founded by Robert Shinn</a>, a pastor for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/7m-films-tiktok-shekinah-church-robert-shinn-dance-cult-miranda-derrick">Shekinah Church</a>. 7M signed dancers in Los Angeles, but in the series, some former members <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/4-signs-cult-mind-control-specialist-2022-6">allege cult-like practices</a>. Friends and family members of those belonging to 7M at the time told Business Insider that they had observed dramatic changes in their loved ones since they joined.TikTok and social media star Miranda Derrick (née Wilking) is at the center of the story. She and her younger sister, Melanie Wilking, are both dancers who previously branded themselves together as The Wilking Sisters. However, Miranda became involved with 7M via her boyfriend, James Derrick — and her family says in the series, distanced herself from her.Here's where Miranda Derrick is today.<h2 id="cd8ba11d-a783-4208-bd9d-b683271ff21c">Miranda moved to Los Angeles and became involved with 7M</h2>Melanie and Miranda grew up dancing around Detroit. Their parents, Dean and Kelly, recount in the docuseries that the family was supportive of the sisters' passion. After she graduated from high school, Melanie says, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a professional dancer. Eventually, Melanie joined her there, and they built the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/wilkingsisters/">Wilking Sisters</a> brand to the tune of millions of followers.In April 2019, Melanie says in the documentary, James "BDash" Derrick reached out to collaborate with them. Miranda and James became close, and eventually, she began socializing with his group of friends — including videographer Isaiah Shinn, Robert Shinn's son. Eventually, former 7M member Aubrey Fisher says, Robert decided to form his own management company to manage the dancers.Melanie says that in the fall of 2020, she was invited to have dinner at Robert's home."At that time, Miranda was in. Like, she was committed," Melanie says. "She did tell me that they read the Bible at dinner and they kind of go around and share different experiences and whatnot."Melanie distanced herself from the church and company. But as Melanie and her parents say in the series, Miranda grew more distant from her family as she became more involved in the church. When her grandfather died in early 2021, Miranda didn't attend his funeral. When Miranda and James got engaged later that year, her family found out through social media.In February 2022, Miranda's sister Melanie and their parents, Kelly and Dean, took to Instagram to plead for Miranda's reconnection.<h2 id="ec98eaba-7b24-4ed8-9e6b-dc21c9a747c5">Where is Miranda now?</h2>In May 2022, after her family's Instagram Live, Miranda issued a statement to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thecut.com/2022/05/wilking-sisters-7m-allegations.html">The Cut</a>."I am not held against my will and I've never been a hostage," Miranda said in a statement. "I go to church and I have faith in God. If one day I wish to pursue my faith elsewhere, I will and feel completely free to do that."A lawyer for 7M also issued a statement to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/7m-films-tiktok-dance-cult-allegations-miranda-wilking-james-derrick-1323200/">Rolling Stone</a> following the publication's investigation into the company."Miranda Derrick is a successful businesswoman and a loving wife and daughter who cares very much about her family. It is pathetic and contemptible to try to turn her private family matters into a tawdry public scandal for clicks and clout," the statement read. Kelly, Miranda's mother, says in the series that Miranda reached out to her to meet. They came back into contact, but Miranda stipulated that she didn't want to speak with her parents about 7M or Robert Shinn."We made the promise not to talk about it, and we haven't talked about it with her since," Kelly says in the series. But, I don't know. Right now? So far, what we've done, we've got her back in our life."On social media, Miranda still regularly posts dance videos, many with her husband James, as well as other lifestyle content. She posts with her family as well: Miranda wished her mother, Kelly, a happy Mother's Day on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C64BncfRw58">Instagram</a> in May, posted a dance video with Kelly and Melanie in April, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C7e3VsSvDXX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==">attended Melanie's wedding</a>. However, Melanie says in the series that her relationship with her sister isn't the same as it once was, calling their interactions "superficial.""I want to have a genuine, you know… like we're moving forward genuinely, and not just for social media," Melanie says.Miranda has 1.5 million followers on Instagram, 2 million followers on TikTok, and 106,000 subscribers on YouTube. Many of her dance videos credit Isaiah Shinn, Robert's son, as a videographer, and her <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/@itsmiranda_derrick">YouTube</a> channel still lists a 7M address as her contact.According to Miranda's social media, she and James are still together and have a dog. The two also recently appeared in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dana-white-joked-that-jake-gyllenhaal-may-have-done-steroids-2023-3">"Road House," a movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal</a> as a former UFC fighter who takes a job as a bouncer.<h2 id="7db9847b-9783-4489-b0ec-79e1235f04c9">Miranda eventually responded to the documentary on Instagram</h2><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dancing-for-the-devil-miranda-derrick-wasnt-brainwashed-robert-shinn-2024-6">Miranda released a statement</a> on her Instagram story on Tuesday, six days after the Netflix documentary premiered. In it, she said that she had seen the film, but that she and her family didn't "see eye to eye.""I gave my life to Jesus Christ in 2020 and asked my family for some space in the very beginning to collect my thoughts and process my new walk I wanted to take with God," Miranda wrote.In the statement, she said she wanted to continue working with Melanie on their joint social media account, but Melanie logged her out. As a result, she said, she had to pursue her personal social media career.Miranda said that her family did not respect her request for space, and said that they were "overbearing and chaotic." She also addressed missing her grandfather's funeral in 2021."I was at a place with my family where I felt like I was being harassed. My parents and sister are not religious. They immediately called me going to church twice a week a 'cult,'" Miranda wrote."I felt that if I went back for the funeral they would try to keep me there and not let me come back to LA," she continued. "So, I told my family that I would not be going to Michigan and that I wanted to move in and begin my life with James. To keep it simple, I did not want to be around them at that time because I felt threatened by them."Miranda said in the statement that she and her family had been meeting to "make amends," but that the documentary was a "further challenge" to their relationship and she would have preferred for the conflict to be private."I can't convince anyone to believe anything," she said. "I am just a woman trying to live my life. I am not a victim, I am not in any harm, I am not being abused. I've never asked my family or anyone else to 'help' me in any way. Respectfully, what I choose to do with my life is up to me."Read the full statement below:<div type="image" title="Miranda derrick's statement about the 7m cult documentary, in it she says that she is not being abused and that she is not a victim" height="1489" width="1571" msid="110742962" hostid="261" sizebytes="230362"></div>

Where is Miranda Wilking, the dancer accused of being in a TikTok cult?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>TikTok dancer Miranda Derrick says she has received death threats over Netflix's "Dancing for the Devil."</li><li>The documentary raises concerns about Derrick's involvement with the Shekinah Church.</li></ul>TikTok dancer <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/where-is-miranda-wilking-tiktok-cult-7m-robert-shinn-2024-5">Miranda Derrick</a> said she and her husband, James Derrick, have been sent death threats as a result of Netflix's "Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult."The three-part docuseries focuses on Derrick's involvement with pastor <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/robert-shinn-where-7m-tiktok-cult-dancing-for-the-devil-2024-6">Robert Shinn</a>, his nondenominational <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/7m-films-tiktok-shekinah-church-robert-shinn-dance-cult-miranda-derrick">Shekinah Church</a>, and his company 7M Films Inc, which manages content creators on TikTok, including Derrick and her husband.Other TikTok content creators who are former members of the church appear in the documentary and allege that it is a cult.The controversy surrounding Derrick and Shekinah Church was originally brought to public attention when Derrick's sister, Melanie Wilking, made a viral video in 2021 claiming she lost touch with Derrick due to the church.Shinn and Shekinah Church were placed under more scrutiny after the docuseries was released on May 29, and it rocketed straight to the top of Netflix's most-watched list.In a video posted to Instagram on Monday, Derrick said that some viewers have started sending her death threats because "Dancing for the Devil" depicted the couple negatively. In the documentary, Derrick's sister and parents claim that she abandoned them because of the church."Before this documentary, my husband and I, we felt safe. Now that this documentary is out, we feel like our lives have been put in danger," she said.Derrick also claimed that she and her husband have been stalked."Someone said that, 'If I see you on the street, I'm going to come and gut you, so you better get security,'" she continued. "Someone also said that, 'If I see you walking on the sidewalk, I'm going to come and shove you in the trunk of my car.'" The video also shows several screenshots of abusive messages the pair have received from anonymous social media users, including insults and references to suicide. The dancer added that the documentary has further impacted her relationship with her family."Honestly, I don't understand how my parents and my sister thought that this documentary would help me or would help our relationship in any way, I don't understand that," she said.Derrick added: "I think that my parents and my sister have focused so much on this documentary that they've forgotten about working any relationship with me and that hurts, that hurts me to say."In early June, the star also posted a statement on Instagram saying she isn't a victim of abuse."No one likes to be portrayed as their brainwashed/ not in control of her own life shell of herself/human trafficked daughter/ sister when that just isn't the truth," she said.

TikToker Miranda Derrick says she has received death threats over 'Dancing for the Devil'

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11893532" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="meghan-markle" source="Orion">Meghan Markle</keyword> appeared in a 2013 film called "Random Encounters," produced by Robert Shinn.</li><li>Shinn is also the CEO of 7M, a <keyword id="11894125" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tiktok" source="Orion">TikTok</keyword> management company recently accused of being a "cult," which he denies.</li></ul>Meghan Markle once acted in a movie produced by a man who <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/7m-films-tiktok-shekinah-church-robert-shinn-dance-cult-miranda-derrick?utmSource=twitter&amp;utmContent=referral&amp;utmTerm=topbar&amp;referrer=twitter&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=topbar&amp;r=US&amp;IR=T">has since been accused</a> of leading a "cult-like" organization involving TikTok dancers. <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1586525/">According to IMDb</a>, the 2013 movie, called "Random Encounters," is a romantic <keyword id="11940446" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="comedy" source="Orion">comedy</keyword> about a couple played by actors Abby Wathen and Michael Rady who meet through a seemingly "chance encounter" at a coffee shop that turns into a relationship. Markle plays the character of Mindy, Wathen's roommate, who unsuccessfully tries to offer her advice about dating and love. Representatives for Megan Markle did not respond to Insider's request for comment regarding her involvement in the movie.The film, which was shot in Los Angeles, California, has an IMDb rating of 4.3 out of 10 stars and was released on December 1, 2013. "Random Encounters" was executive-produced by Robert Shinn, the CEO of a talent management company formed in 2021 called <a href="https://7mfilms.com/">7M Films,</a> which represents several well-known TikTok dance creators in LA.On February 28, 2022, the family of Miranda Derrick, who is one of the dancers represented by 7M, posted an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CagFHNZJKoC/">Instagram video</a> saying Derrick was "brainwashed" by the management company and transformed into a "totally different" person after becoming involved with the group. In a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cav2rh0rdoi/">subsequent Instagram statement</a> she denied being involved in a religious cult.In a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/7m-films-tiktok-shekinah-church-robert-shinn-dance-cult-miranda-derrick?utmSource=twitter&amp;utmContent=referral&amp;utmTerm=topbar&amp;referrer=twitter&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=topbar&amp;r=US&amp;IR=T">statement to Insider</a>, a representative for Derrick said, "My family reacted to my independence and my personal and professional choices by publicly attacking me, my husband, my faith and my management. 7M represents me as their client and treats me as any other talent manager treats their clients. I am an adult and pay my own bills and taxes and I control my own finances."A representative for 7M and Shinn told Insider the allegations were "false and defamatory."The allegation led to various <a href="https://www.instagram.com/withoutacrystalball/?hl=en">drama</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_hVJ1n0oto">accounts</a> on YouTube and Instagram, <a href="https://www.insider.com/youtube-drama-commentary-tea-channels-dramageddon-2021-8">which typically post about social media controversies</a>, to begin a process of online sleuthing into the company. Discussions about 7M Films and the various dancers associated with it soon went viral on <a href="https://twitter.com/msbigmilk/status/1500699491346747392">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/7mfilms">TikTok</a>. Shinn is also the founder of a nondenominational Christian ministry called Shekinah Church, which in 2009 was sued by a former member who alleged that they "exerted undue influence, mind control, coercive persuasion, oppression and other intimidating tactics." The suit was dismissed in 2011.A woman who left the church in 2008 <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/7m-films-tiktok-shekinah-church-robert-shinn-dance-cult-miranda-derrick?utmSource=twitter&amp;utmContent=referral&amp;utmTerm=topbar&amp;referrer=twitter&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=topbar&amp;r=US&amp;IR=T">told Insider's Julia Black</a> that what's happening to 7M dancers may be "history repeating itself." Other former members of the church said Shinn had taken control of their bank accounts and restricted their diets. A representative for Shinn and 7M denied these allegations in a statement to Insider.In a March <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10632181/Family-claimed-TikTok-star-daughter-abducted-cult-slammed-PATHETIC.html">statement given to the Daily Mail</a>, a spokesperson for 7M denied accusations that the group was a cult, calling them "false and sensational." Several of Shinn's relatives were also involved in the 2013 movie, according to its IMDb page. Shinn's son Isaiah Shinn is listed as a "production assistant," his wife Shirley Kim is listed as handling "business affairs/legal," and his daughter Chloe Shinn, who performs under the name Kloë Julynn, is listed in charge of "extras casting."Daniel Joseph, an associate pastor of Shinn's church who became 7M Films' main producer, was also part of the film's crew according to IMDb. <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3058575/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr3">He is also credited</a> as an actor in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3580692/?ref_=nm_knf_i1">"Abducted,"</a> and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1570983/?ref_=nm_knf_i3">"Closure,"</a> two other films that Shinn was involved in producing.Before <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prince-harry-wedding-speech-what-he-said-about-meghan-markle-2018-5?r=US&amp;IR=T">Markle married Prince Harry</a> and announced her retirement from acting in May 2018, the actor was <a href="https://www.insider.com/meghan-markle-career-timeline-2021-8#1993-an-11-year-old-meghan-markle-made-her-first-tv-appearance-speaking-out-against-a-sexist-procter-and-gamble-commercial-for-ivory-dishwasher-soap-1">best-known for playing Rachel Zane in the television show "Suits"</a> from 2011 to 2018. She made her first on-screen appearance when she was just 11 years old, <a href="https://www.insider.com/meghan-markle-career-timeline-2021-8#1993-an-11-year-old-meghan-markle-made-her-first-tv-appearance-speaking-out-against-a-sexist-procter-and-gamble-commercial-for-ivory-dishwasher-soap-1">speaking out against a "sexist" commercial</a> that suggested women were responsible for doing the dishes on a segment of family television show "Nick News" in 1993. Markle and Prince Harry now live in Montecito, California with their two children, and in October 2020, they <a href="https://www.insider.com/meghan-markle-career-timeline-2021-8#june-8-2021-meghan-markle-published-her-first-childrens-book-the-bench-22">co-founded a media production company</a>, called Archewelle Productions, after signing a partnership deal with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-netflix-tips-and-tricks">Netflix</a>. Markle has no affiliation with 7M or Shekinah Church, or with Shinn, apart from her appearance in "Random Encounters."Julia Black contributed to this reporting.<a href="https://www.insider.com/culture">For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here.</a>

Meghan Markle once acted in a movie produced by the man now accused of starting a TikTok 'dance cult'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>An <keyword id="12021660" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="la" source="Orion">LA</keyword> talent management company recruiting <keyword id="11894125" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tiktok" source="Orion">TikTok</keyword> dancers has been accused by the family of one of the dancers of being a "cult."</li><li>The company has denied the accusations, calling them "false and defamatory." Through a representative, the dancer whose family members made the accusation has also denied the claim.</li></ul>For the past three months, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/7m-films-tiktok-shekinah-church-robert-shinn-dance-cult-miranda-derrick?utmSource=twitter&amp;utmContent=referral&amp;utmTerm=topbar&amp;referrer=twitter&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=topbar&amp;r=US&amp;IR=T">accusations have been swirling</a> that LA filmmaker and pastor Robert Shinn has been influencing the thinking of TikTok dancers who are signed to his talent management company, <a href="https://7mfilms.com/">7M Films</a>, which he denies. The management company has been <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/7m-films-tiktok-dance-cult-allegations-miranda-wilking-james-derrick-1323200/">accused of seeming</a> "cult-like" by media outlets and individuals who were close with the dancers before they became associated with Shinn and now feel isolated from them. The company first came under online suspicion in February when the family of TikTok dancer <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@itsmirandaderrick?lang=en">Miranda Derrick</a> posted a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CagFHNZJKoC/">video</a> on Instagram saying they were worried about her wellbeing after she joined an entertainment management company tied to a church. "She's a victim of a church-based cult in the LA area and has blocked and cut off all contact with her family," Derrick's sister, Melanie Wilking, said in the video. In a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cav2rh0rdoi/">subsequent Instagram statement</a> she denied being involved in a religious cult. In a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/7m-films-tiktok-shekinah-church-robert-shinn-dance-cult-miranda-derrick?utmSource=twitter&amp;utmContent=referral&amp;utmTerm=topbar&amp;referrer=twitter&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=topbar&amp;r=US&amp;IR=T">statement to Insider</a>, a representative for Derrick said, "My family reacted to my independence and my personal and professional choices by publicly attacking me, my husband, my faith and my management. 7M represents me as their client and treats me as any other talent manager treats their clients. I am an adult and pay my own bills and taxes and I control my own finances."A representative for 7M and Shinn <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/7m-films-tiktok-shekinah-church-robert-shinn-dance-cult-miranda-derrick?utmSource=twitter&amp;utmContent=referral&amp;utmTerm=topbar&amp;referrer=twitter&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=topbar&amp;r=US&amp;IR=T">told Insider</a> the allegations were "false and defamatory."There were up to 10,000 <keyword id="11996638" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cults" source="Orion">cults</keyword> active in the United States in 2018, the president of the International Cultic Studies Association Steve Eichel <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-to-identify-a-cult-six-expert-tips/">told CBS</a>. A <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/cu/csswp/journal/newswin90/cults.html">study of a group of ex-cult members by the University of Columbia</a> found that members on average struggled with depression and identity formation more than other people in their age group.Insider's Julia Black spoke to Dr Steven Hassan a <a href="https://freedomofmind.com/about-us/steven-hassan/">licensed mental health professional</a> with research interests in <a href="https://freedomofmind.com/">cult-based mind control</a>, who provided some potential signs that might mean a person has become or is likely to become involved in a cult.Here are some of the warning signs he advised loved ones to look out for. <h2>The person is in an especially vulnerable state</h2>Hassan told Insider there is no "clinical" list of exact criteria people can use to diagnose when a person has been brainwashed. However, he said that often the "social influences" on a person are what determine their susceptibility to mind control. If someone is at a "vulnerable" point in their life, dealing with emotional or circumstantial issues, they can be more easily influenced by brainwashing techniques, he said.Rachel Bernstein, a therapist who specializes in treating cult survivors, <a href="https://www.insider.com/why-people-join-cults-according-to-therapist-who-treats-survivors-2020-9">previously told Insider</a> that people who were recently diagnosed with terminal or chronic illnesses are living on their own for the first time, or who have experienced the death of a loved one, are examples of people who tend to enter fragile states, and are therefore more likely to join a cult-like group. <h2>The person becomes close to a 'charismatic figure' who begins to have influence over them </h2>Hassan told Insider there are many different types of cult-like groups, but one model operated around "one-on-one domineering," which controls and isolates a person. This relationship might be formed between a vulnerable person and a "charismatic figure" who they come to trust, he said. The person may be "in a state of overwhelming confusion" and "tuning out due to hopelessness or helplessness," which is one of the first conditions for brainwashing, he said. Sometimes, people isolate themselves from others because being around people creates feelings of "fear and uncertainty." When a "charismatic" leader figure steps into their lives, they might convince the vulnerable person to trust them, becoming that person's main source of contact before brainwashing them, he explained. Bernstein previously told Insider that "Sometimes people are just wanting to connect with people they think they have something in common with," adding that this might be the reason why isolated and vulnerable people become attached to a cult or a cult leader. <h2>The person is involved in a group with religious principles that differ from the mainstream </h2>Some cults have specific <a href="https://www.insider.com/i-grew-up-in-a-cult-and-i-can-tell-you-why-normal-people-join-them-2018-3">religious</a> agendas, and Hassan said it is important not to lump all religious behaviors together or treat them in the same way when trying to identify whether someone is involved in a cult-like religious group. Some fringe religious groups can differ greatly in teaching from mainstream religion, he told Insider. For example, groups that manipulate their followers for money could be seen as cults, as they have "twisted" Christianity in such a way that it "takes away the good part of the religious experience," he said. <h2>The person is not able to step away from the community, even for a short period of time </h2>Many cult-like organizations are known for encouraging people to renounce their family and cut off contact with the outside world. Hassan said, "If you're sure you're not in a brainwashed state or in a cult, then prove it to yourself and prove it to your family. Step out of the experience for a week."Julia Black contributed to this reporting.<a href="https://www.insider.com/culture">For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here.</a>

You Searched For "Robert Shinn" and got 9 results

A cult was taking over his Los Angeles dance community. He made a Netflix documentary to spread the word.

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What happened to Robert Shinn, the pastor who's the focus of Netflix's 'Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult'

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Netflix's 'Dancing for the Devil' introduced the world to Robert Shinn and the '7M TikTok cult.' Here are the biggest creators with links to the pastor.

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'Dancing for the Devil' TikToker Miranda Derrick says she wasn't 'brainwashed' by a dance cult: 'I am not a victim'

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Where is Miranda Wilking, the dancer accused of being in a TikTok cult?

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TikToker Miranda Derrick says she has received death threats over 'Dancing for the Devil'

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Meghan Markle once acted in a movie produced by the man now accused of starting a TikTok 'dance cult'

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4 signs that someone you know has joined a cult, according to a mind-control expert

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