New York (AP) – Leaders of a women’s wellness company focused on sexuality, known for promoting “orgasmic meditation,” are facing federal forced labor charges.
A Brooklyn judge revealed on Monday that Nicole Daedone, founder of Onetaste Inc., and Rachel Cherwitz, a former sales director from California, were found guilty after two days of jury deliberation following a five-week trial. The two have each received a 20-year prison sentence.
Prosecutors accused the women of grooming numerous victims and manipulating their followers to solicit sexual acts.
They claimed that Daedone, 57, of New York, and Cherwitz, 44, of California, utilized economic, sexual, and psychological abuse, threats, and indoctrination to compel Onetaste members into sexual activities that some found uncomfortable or repugnant, including engaging with potential investors and clients.
The defendants instructed their followers that questionable behavior was essential for achieving “freedom” and “enlightenment,” showcasing their dedication to the organization’s ideals.
Prosecutors asserted that the Onetaste leadership failed to provide promised earnings to the exploited workers, with some individuals even coerced into acquiring new credit cards to fund the company’s activities.
Last week, U.S. Attorney Nina Gupta stated that the victims “built a business on the backs” of those who “gave everything”—money, time, dignity, and ultimately, their sanity.
“The jury’s verdict does not disguise who Daedone and Cherwitz truly are. They are grifters who preyed on vulnerable individuals by making false promises of sexual empowerment and wellness, while manipulating them for their own gain.”
Daedone’s legal team portrayed her as a “ceiling-smashing feminist entrepreneur” who founded a unique business centered on women’s empowerment and sexuality.
Celia Cohen, representing Cherwitz, contended that witnesses were free to leave the organization whenever they wished. “If they no longer liked Onetaste or wanted to pursue other opportunities, they simply walked away,” she said in her closing statement last week. “The regret they feel about their past choices is not proof of criminal conduct.”
The defendants’ attorneys affirmed that their clients plan to appeal and maintain their innocence.
“We are profoundly disappointed with today’s ruling,” the attorney stated on Monday. “This case raised significant and complex legal questions that warrant review by the Second Circuit.”
Daedone co-founded Onetaste in San Francisco in 2004, marketing it as a self-help commune that regarded female orgasm as fundamental to psychological well-being and interpersonal relationships.
The centerpiece of the program was “orgasmic meditation,” or “OM,” where men manually stimulated women in group environments.
The company received extensive media attention in the 2010s, rapidly expanding from Los Angeles to London, and was seen as a pioneering entity focused on women’s sexual pleasure, generating revenue through courses, coaching, OM events, and other fee-based sexual practices.
Daedone sold her shares in the company for $12 million in 2017, around the same time when Onetaste’s marketing and labor practices came under scrutiny.
The current owner of the rebranded OM Foundation Institute stated that its efforts have been misunderstood and that the allegations against past executives are unjust. They emphasize that sexual consent has always been a foundational principle of the organization. The company has not immediately responded to requests for comments.
Source: apnews.com