Leaders of ‘orgasmic meditation' wellness company convicted in forced labor trial
The leaders of a sex-focused women's wellness company that promoted 'orgasmic meditation' have been convicted of federal forced labor charges.
A Brooklyn jury on Monday found Nicole Daedone, founder of OneTaste Inc., and Rachel Cherwitz, the California-based company's former sales director, guilty of forced labor conspiracy after deliberating for less than two days following a roughly monthlong trial.
Daedone's defense team had cast her as a 'ceiling-shattering feminist entrepreneur' who created a unique business around women's sexuality and empowerment.
But prosecutors argued the two women ran a yearslong scheme that groomed adherents — many of them victims of sexual trauma — to do their bidding.
They said Daedone and Cherwitz used economic, sexual and psychological abuse, intimidation and indoctrination to force OneTaste members into sexual acts they found uncomfortable or repulsive, such as having sex with prospective investors or clients.
The two told followers the questionable acts were necessary in order to obtain 'freedom' and 'enlightenment' and demonstrate their commitment to the organization's principles.
Prosecutors said OneTaste leaders also didn't pay promised earnings to the members-turned-workers and even forced some of them to take out new credit cards to continue taking the company's courses.
Lawyers for the two women didn't immediately respond to emails seeking comment Monday.
OneTaste started in San Francisco around 2005 as a sort of self-help commune that viewed female orgasms as key to sexual and psychological wellness and interpersonal connection.
A centerpiece was 'orgasmic meditation,' carried out by men manually stimulating women in a group setting.
The company quickly opened outposts from Los Angeles to London following glowing media coverage in the 2010s. At the time, OneTaste was portrayed as a cutting-edge enterprise that prioritized women's sexual pleasure.
But Daedone sold her stake in 2017 — a year before OneTaste's marketing and labor practices came under scrutiny.
The company's current owners, who have rebranded it the Institute of OM Foundation, have said its work has been misconstrued and the charges against its former executives were unjustified.
They maintain sexual consent has always been a cornerstone of the organization. The company didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
10 minutes ago
- Times
Business live: US and China reach deal to restore trade truce
Inditex, the owner of Zara, has reported worse-than-expected first-quarter revenue and a slower start to its summer sales. Revenue in the three months to the end of April was €8.27 billion, below analysts' forecasts of €8.36 billion. Inditex said revenue had risen 6 per cent at the start of the second quarter, compared to 12 per cent growth over the same period a year ago. The board of Assura, a real estate investment trust which is one of the NHS's biggest landlords, is recommending shareholders accept a 'final' offer from KKR and Stonepeak, the American private equity firms, following a contested takeover battle for the group. The consortium has raised its offer for the company to nearly £1.7 billion, or 52.1p a share, outbidding rival suitor Primary Health Properties. Assura owns hundreds of doctors' surgeries around the UK. Bid interest has lifted the shares 24 per cent over the past year to 49p last night. US and Chinese officials have agreed on a framework to put their trade truce back on track and remove China's export restrictions on rare earth metals and some of the recent US export restrictions. However, market reaction in Asia was muted as there was little detail after the two days of talks concluded around midnight in London. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 and China's SSE Composite were both up around 0.6 per cent. US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick said: 'The idea is we're going to go back and speak to President Trump and make sure he approves it. They're going to go back and speak to President Xi and make sure he approves it, and if that is approved, we will then implement the framework.' • Entrepreneur Davina Schonle was left feeling 'humiliated' after she and her eight-month-old baby were refused admission to London Tech Week, a gathering of global technology leaders taking place at London's Olympia.• AstraZeneca has been accused of 'turning a blind eye' to the Chinese government and putting 'profits before people' as it invests billions in the country amid the long-running detention of a key executive.• A battle between listed technology company Big Technologies and its former chief executive has escalated as it suspended the voting rights of shareholders holding 17 per cent of its stock.• Britain's listing rulebook is not to blame for the shrinking of the London stock market, Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority, told MPs.
The Independent
26 minutes ago
- The Independent
Federal appeals court temporarily reverses decision on Trump's tariffs
A federal appeals court has ruled that President Trump's tariffs will remain in effect during the appeal process, temporarily reversing a lower court's decision. The decision applies to broad-based tariffs affecting most U.S. trading partners, as well as duties on imports from Canada, China, and Mexico. The court has not yet ruled on the legality of Trump's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs, but will hear arguments on July 31. A lower court previously ruled that Trump had overstepped his authority, stating that the Constitution grants Congress the power to impose taxes and tariffs. The tariffs have created turbulence for global markets and American businesses, but the ruling does not impact tariffs implemented under separate legal frameworks, such as those on steel and aluminum.
The Guardian
43 minutes ago
- The Guardian
US and China ease trade war tensions by agreeing ‘framework' truce in London
Update: Date: 2025-06-11T06:23:08.000Z Title: Introduction: US and China agree to framework deal to restore trade war truce Content: Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy. 'Jaw, jaw is better than war, war,' as Harold Macmillan once remarked. And after two days of talking in London, the US and China have managed to patch up their trade conflict truce. Just before midnight last night the two countries agreed a framework that, it is hoped, will ease tensions between the two economic superpowers. It will reinforce their initial agreement made in Geneva a month ago, once presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have approved it. Speaking at Lancaster House last night, US commerce scretary Howard Lutnick said the trade framework and implementation plan agreed with China in London should result in restrictions on rare earths and magents being resolved. That had been a key demand for the US side, worried that American companies were being starved of vital supplies. Lutnick told reporters the US negotiating team will take the framework back to Trump to get his approval, and then hope to implement it. Lutnick says they had to get the 'negativity out' first when it comes to the US-China trade relationship. 'It's been President Trump's fundamental goal to reduce the trade deficit and increase trade. So this was the first step that the framework by which we will then approach… China's vice commerce minister Li Chenggang described the talks as 'rational and candid', telling reporters: 'The two sides have, in principle, reached a framework for implementing the consensus reached by the two heads of state during the phone call on June 5th and the consensus reached at the Geneva meeting.' The talks, which began on Monday morning, took longer than expected – with the two sides sustained by deliveries from restaurant chain Ottolenghi, McDonald's, Burger King and KFC. Food update at the trade talks at Lancaster House— the Chinese delegation is bringing in McDonald's, Burger King and KFC. Investors are now waiting for details of the agreement, and confirmation that it will satisfy Xi and Trump. Traders are also anticipating the latest US inflation report, which may show that the trade war has driven up prices in the shops. Economists predict the US CPI index will have risen to 2.5%, from 2.3%. While in London, chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver the government's spending review, outlining day-to-day departmental spending for the next three years. 12pm BST: US weekly mortgage applications data 12.30pm BST: Chancellor Rachel Reeves to deliver UK spending review 1.30pm BST: US inflation report for May
