Netflix Documentary Subject Says Life Is In Danger After Cult Exposure

Following the release of the Netflix cult documentary series Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult, TikTok dancer and content creator Miranda Derrick revealed that she and her husband, James, have been receiving death threats. Furthermore, both Derrick and her husband have been followed in their cars and have received hate mail, with perpetrators suggesting they should commit suicide. Derrick also mentioned that she and her husband have been stalked and are now fearing for their safety.  

The three-episode hit documentary series, which premiered on May 29, 2024, follows a group of TikTok dancers who believe that they’re involved with a talent management company called 7M Films, based in LA. The Netflix cult documentary specifically focuses on Miranda, an internet celebrity who became involved with the founder of 7M Films, Robert Shinn, a self-proclaimed man of God and a pastor of a non-denominated, invite-only church called Shekinah.

Netflix’s cult documentary explores Miranda’s connection with 7M, which was scrutinized due to its connections to Shekinah Church. Other members who have escaped 7M shared their stories about the organization, denoting it a cult. One former member, who also appears in the series, is currently in a lawsuit against Shinn and other Shekinah members. It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time Derrick’s connection to Shekinah Church has been brought to public attention.

In 2021, Derrick’s sister, Melanie Wilking, made a viral video in which she explained that she and her family had lost touch with Derrick due to the church—Derrick didn’t deny that she distanced herself from her family, though she hasn’t provided a reason why she did. Furthermore, the Wilking family also speculated that 7M is a cult and that Miranda was being manipulated by Shinn and the Shekinah Church. However, Miranda disputed these claims after the release of the Netflix cult documentary.

Derrick, who is a dancer-performer with a total of 4.4 million followers across social media, placed some of the blame for death threats and harassment on her parents and her sister Melanie, with whom she used to create content. She also expressed her disbelief over the fact that her family would think that the Netflix cult documentary would somehow help her fix their relationship in any way. However, there might be more to this.

Namely, the Netflix cult documentary also revealed that Derrick and her family have been communicating. The family, on the other hand, maintains that the apparent reconciliation is at the behest of her alleged cult leader to provide a false facade that he’s not actually keeping his young members away from their families. Whether or not that’s true remains to be seen, but it’s important to mention that the social media cult is now facing several lawsuits.