Twin Flames Universe, a controversial New Age spiritual group accused of cult-like behavior, is being investigated by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel after years of operation.
The online organization, which Michigan residents Jeff and Shaleia Divine lead out of Leelanau, claims it can help followers find and connect with their “twin flame,” a supposed soulmate connection.
Since 2017, TFU has been providing services dedicated to this mission, including paid classes, videos, books, counseling, and more. Their most expensive services cost thousands of dollars.
According to the Divines, everyone has a twin flame, or someone they are destined to be with romantically. They market the concept of “twin flames” as a path to romantic and spiritual fulfillment, often targeting those seeking connection.
TFU has been the subject of two documentaries: “Escaping Twin Flames” on Netflix and “Desperately Seeking Soulmate: Escaping Twin Flames Universe” on Amazon Prime.
The documentaries walk viewers through the lives of people who have been involved with TFU, telling the story of an organization that took over members’ lives in ways they could have never imagined.
Former members and their families have accused TFU of spiritual, psychological, and financial abuse. According to their testimonies, this abuse included pressured gender transitions, coerced relationships, and estrangement from family members.
In “Escaping Twin Flames,” Maxine, the mother of a TFU member, said her daughter started identifying as transgender immediately after joining TFU.
“I asked him how long he felt like this. And he responded, ‘Immediately, when I became a twin flame,’” she said.
Other former members reported similar experiences, saying the organization encouraged them to embrace either the “Divine Masculine” or “Divine Feminine,” which leaders and coaches would assign.
“I had never felt I was in the wrong body,” one victim said in the Netflix docuseries. “I had never felt like a man. We were to accept what Jeff and Shaleia claimed was our true sexuality and our true union with God.”
According to Hersey’s account, those who were encouraged to transition had to agree not to tell anyone about what was happening.
Over time, the business grew from just Jeff and Shaleia coaching people into a whole network of “ascension coaches” who meet with people one-on-one, offering spiritual advice and self-help tips. According to Jeff, TFU has grown into a multi-million dollar business.
The couple has also made disturbing religious claims, casting themselves as divine figures. They founded the Church of Union, a spiritual organization which, according to its website, promises to resolve “all the underlying causes of suffering” by borrowing ideas from many different religions.
Jeff has taken this even further, saying that he is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and referring to himself as the “master Christ.”
“I’m the Second Coming! I’m what was prophesied,” Jeff told Vanity Fair. “And I say that with humility, but there’s no other way to say it. Jesus got the same response when he was like, ‘Yo, I’m the son of God. I’m the Messiah—look!’… My purpose is to enlighten the world, not to be gentle with it.”
The couple’s teachings have led to disturbing incidents beyond their inner circle. In 2023, a student of Jeff and Shaleia was arrested for stalking a man she felt was her twin flame, and she was charged with 17 counts of stalking, harassing, and violating a restraining order, according to “Twin Flames” podcast host Stephanie Beatriz. Many believe this was a direct result of TFU’s teachings that everyone has a God-given “divine complement.”
“Claim them,” Jeff said in a 2017 video.
“Let nothing else stand between you and your one true love,” he says later in the same video.
According to Beatriz, the student known as Katie (not her real name) returned to Twin Flames classes after getting out on bail. In a recording of the class, Jeff praised Katie’s actions, calling her “courageous.”
“It’s really dangerous how far some of them have gone,” Beatriz said on her podcast.
After years of TFU operating in Michigan with little legal scrutiny, Attorney General Dana Nessel has taken notice of the group, and has recently opened an investigation into their practices after multiple notable media appearances and accusations of the organization being a cult.
Working with state and local law enforcement, the attorney general’s office carried out several search warrants on July 1.
“Today, my office executed multiple search warrants upon individuals atop the Twin Flames Universe organization and its associated properties, under the authority of a judge finding probable cause that crimes have been committed by TFU and their leadership,” Nessel said in a statement.
TFU maintains its innocence.
According to NBC News, TFU posted a statement to its website in March condemning their treatment in the media, saying they are “saddened” that “so much effort has gone into taking swipes at an organization and community founded on mutual respect.”
The work of Michigan’s government to stop TFU is commendable, but this group has operated for years without any notice. Next time a group exhibits cult-like tendencies, it might be best to investigate before multiple documentaries are made.
Skye Graham is a contributing writer for Michigan Enjoyer.
