Shekinah Church International, founded by Robert Shinn in 1994, continues to operate despite numerous allegations of abuse and “cult-like” behavior. The church, originally established as a religious community for Korean Americans. In 2009, Lydia Chung filed a lawsuit against Shekinah Church, alleging that the church and Shinn had indoctrinated her, separated her from her family, and cheated her of over $4 million.

Shekinah Church International, founded by Robert Shinn in 1994, continues to operate despite numerous allegations of abuse and “cult-like” behavior. The church, originally established as a religious community for Korean Americans, has faced significant scrutiny, particularly following accusations made in 2022 that connected it with Shinn’s company, 7M Films.

In 2009, Lydia Chung filed a lawsuit against Shekinah Church, alleging that the church and Shinn had indoctrinated her, separated her from her family, and cheated her of over $4 million. This case brought the claims against the organization to a wider audience. According to Chung, these monies were transferred to Shinn via the church, which does not have to pay taxes. In response, Shinn characterized the collective as a “small and close-knit group of Christian believers dedicated to promoting their religious message via nonviolent religious study and outreach” in court filings. In the end, the judge decided in Shinn’s favor.

Lydia Chung later told The Daily Beast, “This is a cult. This totally ruins people. You hear about the people who went to Vietnam—going through such a trauma, many people cannot function as a normal human being—this is what it does.” She further alleged that the organization is “much worse” than Scientology or any other religious sect.

More accusations from the Wilkings family and former 7M Films management members, including TikToker Melanie, appeared in 2022. According to these accusations, Shinn members participated in general abusive conduct and were coerced into excluding friends and relatives. Under Shinn’s influence, Melanie Wilkings’ sister Miranda Wilkings (now Derricks) allegedly cut off all communication with her family.