Two Leaders of a Women's Wellness Start-up that Promotted Sexual Empowerment Through “Orgasmic Meditation” Were Convicted Monday of Using Psychological Abuse, Surveillance, Indocstrination, and Intimidation to Coece Employees Int Forced Labor.
Nicole Daedone and Rachel Cherwitz, The Formeer Ceo and forma Head of Sales at the Once-Buzzy San Francisco Venture OneTaste, Were Found Guilty by a Jury After A Five-Week Trial in Federal Court in Brooklyn.
During the trial, prosecutors Said the Victims in the case world long hours, performer highly degrading sex acts and manual labor for little or no compensation, because they bellieved That if they did not, they would “lose entito source of support, community, spirituality, and identity. Three Witnesesses Testified That They Were Coeced Into Becoming a “Handler” for OneTaste Investor Reese Jones, Who Was Also Daedone's Boyfriend. The Victims Told Jurors They Were to Live With the Investor, Perform Demeaning Sex Acts at His Direction, and Provide Domestic Labor Such As Cooking For Him.
The Defense countd That no Physical Force Or Resttint was EVER Used and that OneTaste's Spiritual Teachings Were Protected by the First Amendment. They said any suggestion that Daedone and Cherwitz “Brainwashed” Their Employees was a Violay of Their Right to Religious Freedom.
“We are deeplic disappeintd in Today's Verdict. We Maintain Our Clients' Innocence and Look For Continuing This Fight on Appeal. This Case RaiseD number novels and Complex Legal Issues that will include review by the second circuit Shown Incredible Strengh Throughout This Entire Process, “Defende Lawyers Jennifer Bonjean, Ceila Cohen, and Michael Robotti Said in statement sent to Rolling Stone.
Daedone and Cherwitz Each Face Up to 20 years in Prison for the convictions. They're two to be sentenced in late september.
“The Jury's Verdict Has Unmasked Daedone and Cherwitz for Who They Truly Are: Grifters Who Preyed On Vulnerable Victims by Making Empty Promises of Sexual Empowerment and Wellness Only to Manipulated Them Intreforming Labor and Services for the Defense 'Benefit,” Joseph “Joseph Nocella, Jr., The Interim Us Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Said in a statement. “The Witnesesses comrades Who Testified at Trial Notwithstand the Trauma That they experience at the Defensened 'Direction. It is my Hope that the just conclusion of this process will bing them Closure, and that future charlatans Think Twice About Explooting Human Beings in This Manner.”
Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director of the FBI's New York Field Office, Said in statement that he Hopes the Verdicte Sends a “Clear Message” that “Controlling Your Labor Force by Relying on Lies, Manipulation, and Abuse is a crime.”
Daedone, WHO Founded OneTaste in 2004, Has State She Drew Inspiration from the Traditional Teachings of Yoga and Buddhism When She Started Her Company. On Mondoy, She Brough Up Her “Spiritual” Objectives When She AddSted Her Supporters Outside The Courthouse. “There is Nothing But the Spiritual Aim That I set out for, and that's the liberation of all the people, and the liberation of women .'l do that dover i am,” she said, according to The New York Times.
OneTaste, Which Enjoyed Some Mainstream Popularity in The Mid-2010s, Spread Its Teachings At Various Locations in New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Austin, and London, Prosecutors Said. The Company Offered Hands-on Classes on “Orgasmic Mediation,” Also Known As Om, Which Centers on the Practice of Reaching New Levels of Intimacy and enlightenment Through the Stroking a Woman's Genitals for Extended periods of time. The Company Generated Revenue by Provide Courses, Coaching, Om Events, and Less-Publicized courses in Other Sexual Practices in Exchange for Fee, Prosecutors Said.
Daedone Became Somewhat of A Celebrity in The Wellness Field During Her Heyday. She Delivered a Ted Talk That Went Viral and Attracted Attense and Promotion from Celebrities Including Gwyneth Paltrow and Khloé Kardashian. Buttetestte Later Became The Subject of Several Exposés and Documentries Alleging The Group Exploited Its Employees and Participants.
According to a Bloomberg Businessweek Investigation Published in 2018, OneTaste Morphed from a Glamorous, Silicon Valley-Backed Start-Up into Sinister Enterprise Described by Some AS A For-Profit Sex Cult. “In some members' Experiences, The Company Used Flirtation and Sex to Lure Emotionally Vulnerable Targets. It Taught Employees to work for free or cheap to show devotion. And Managers frequented Orthodes Riders to Have Sex or Om (Orgasmic Meditation) with each Other or with with with with Customers, “The Piece Report.
During the Trial, Multiple Other Witnesesses Testified That They Were Coeced by Daedone And Cherwitz Intreforming Various Sex Acts With OneTaste's Potential Clients and Investors. The Coercion Involved Threats of Termination, Demotion, Ostracism, and Financial and Spiritual Ruin, They Testified.
In 2017, Ms. Daedone Sold OneTaste for $ 12 Million, prosecutors Said. The former OneTaste.us Website Now Directs Visitors to the Eros Platform, A Community That Still Promotes It Affiliation with Daedone, Cherwitz and Their Orgasmic Meditation Practice. The Eros Coaching Collective Still Advertisees a Three-Session Om Training Package For $ 525.
