Boss at bizarre start-up ordered two workers to have sex to relieve tension between them, court hears
Executives at an 'orgasmic meditation' start-up forced their staff to have sex with each other in an attempt to relieve the tension between them, a federal trial heard.
OneTaste founder Nicole Daedone, 57, and former head of sales Rachel Cherwitz, 44, have each been charged with one count of forced labor conspiracy.
Witnesses who took the stand at court in New York City this week have detailed their disturbing experiences working for the 'cult-like' San Francisco based company.
One former worker, referred to only as 'Max' to protect their identity, told the court that Cherwitz sent two staff members off to have sex during a sales meeting, Courthouse News reports.
Cherwitz attributed a profit dip at the firm's NYC branch to an alleged sexual tension between the two employees, Max testified.
'I felt so sick inside. I think that was the moment when I just woke up,' Max told the court, adding that the partner of one of the workers sent off for sex had a breakdown while she waited for the pair to return to the room.
Daedone has also been accused of working with OneTaste's former chief technology officer Christopher Hubbard to 'seduce' an early investor, he told the court.
The ex-CEO was also accused of encouraging a female employee to 'sexually service' her former boyfriend, the court heard.
Both Daedone and Cherwitz face trial this week in New York, accused of a forced labor scheme that allegedly involved participants in OneTaste courses and employees between 2006 and 2018.
The pair provided sexually focused wellness education and events that promoted 'orgasmic meditation' and 'slow sex' - advocating female empowerment through orgasm.
But prosecutors claim they also exploited some people, by coercing them to work without pay and to perform sexual acts with OneTaste investors using cult-like tactics.
Max told the court last week how Cherwitz allegedly ordered two employees to have sex because of their apparent 'tumescence'.
'I want you guys to go have sex right now,' she told the pair, Max testified.
Their account echoed that of a woman referred to as 'Becky', who was one of the two employees allegedly sent out of the sales meeting to have sex.
Becky told the court that she did not remember specifics about the encounter, but said it was 'awkward' because the man involved was in a relationship with her friend, who had also been present at the meeting.
Max also testified that staff were required to be on call 24/7 and were expected to immediately respond to work text messages during their 'waking hours'. They alleged that taking sick or vacation days was prohibited.
The witness said that employees in the NYC branch were responsible for cleaning up Daedone's hotel room before and after her stay. Max testified that this included the handling of used condoms in her hotel room.
The witness also added that workers had to 'complain to higher-ups' in order to get paid or be put on the company payroll.
Many employees lived together and shared beds, the court heard, and were allegedly expected to participate in daily morning 'orgasmic meditation circles'.
The meditation activity was partnered and involved 'methodically stroking a woman's genitals for 15 minutes', testimony revealed.
Dana, who took the stand on Tuesday, told the court that she was instructed to engage in BDSM activities with early OneTaste investor Reese Jones.
The court heard how Dana would allegedly walk Jones around on a leash or whip him with cattails, Courthouse News reports.
She also allegedly lived with Jones for roughly three months and would frequently have sex with him, which she claims to have understood as being 'part of the job'.
Dana, during cross-examination, testified that she 'liked Jones as a person' but added: 'I wouldn't say I was attracted to him.'
The witness added that she had been instructed by higher-ups, including Cherwitz, to engage in sexual acts with the firm's high-paying clients.
Although Dana not officially on OneTaste's payroll, she directly worked for Daedone and other leaders, the court heard.
She allegedly paid $30,000 for the group's courses, which she claims was funded partly from sex work that a fellow OneTaste community member helped her arrange.
OneTaste was featured in the 2022 Netflix 'true crime ' documentary Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste, which featured former worker Ayries Blanck and her journals, which painted a dark picture of the workplace.
Five months after it aired, Daedone and Cherwitz were indicted. Both deny the single count of forced labor conspiracy.
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