Latest news with #Cherwitz
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Leaders of sexual wellness company OneTaste convicted in forced labor case
Two former top executives of a women-focused sexual wellness company that offered hands-on 'orgasmic meditation' classes were found guilty of forced labor conspiracy, federal prosecutors announced Monday. OneTaste co-founder and former CEO Nicole Daedone, 57, and the company's former sales director Rachel Cherwitz, 44, were accused of using 'deception and abuse' to obtain the labor and services of employees in a years-long coercive scheme. Investigators say the two women and an undisclosed number of co-conspirators subjected 'multiple young women' to economic, sexual, emotional, financial and psychological abuse, as well as surveillance, indoctrination and intimidation between 2006 and 2018. Founded in San Francisco in 2004, OneTaste operated in cities across the U.S., including New York and Los Angeles, as well as in London. The sexual wellness education company generated revenue through coaching, events, and classes on sexual practices, including 'orgasmic meditation,' which involved stroking a woman's genitals for 15 minutes. Some of the women who had turned to OneTaste seeking healing and spiritual guidance were instead coerced into working long hours — seven days a week — for little or no pay, performing manual labor and providing sexual services, prosecutors said. Those allegations were depicted in the 2022 Netflix documentary, 'Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste.' The defendants did so by using abusive and manipulative tactics to make their victims emotionally and psychologically dependent on OneTaste, which was sold in 2017 for $12 million. The two women were charged by federal prosecutors with forced labor conspiracy in June 2023, accused of grooming victims to engage in sex acts with investors, clients, employees and benefactors. On Monday, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Daedone, of New York, and Cherwitz, of California, following a five-week trial in which three witnesses testified about becoming 'handlers' for OneTaste's initial investor— who was also Daedone's boyfriend. The women recalled being required to live with him, cook for him, and 'perform demeaning sex acts at his direction,' prosecutors said. U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph Nocella Jr., commended the witnesses who testified despite the trauma they endured at the hands of the defendants. '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 manipulate them into performing labor and services for the defendants' benefit,' he said following the verdict. Attorneys for the two women said they were 'deeply disappointed' with the jury's decision, adding that Daedone and Cherwitz maintain their innocence and plan to continue their fight on appeal. 'We find inspiration in our clients, Nicole and Rachel, who have shown incredible strength throughout this entire process,' the lawyers said in a statement Monday. 'This case raised numerous novel and complex legal issues that will require review by the Second Circuit.'
NBC News
15 hours ago
- Business
- NBC News
Leaders of 'orgasmic meditation' women's wellness company OneTaste convicted in forced labor trial
NEW YORK — 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 after deliberating for less than two days following a five-week trial. The two each face up to 20 years in prison when sentenced later. Prosecutors had 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, 57, of New York, and Cherwitz, 44, of California, 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nina Gupta, in her closing statement last week, said the defendants "built a business on the backs" of victims who "gave everything" to them, including "their money, their time, their bodies, their dignity, and ultimately their sanity." "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 manipulate them into performing labor and services for the defendants' benefit," said Joseph Nocella, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Daedone's defense team cast her as a "ceiling-shattering feminist entrepreneur" who created a unique business around women's sexuality and empowerment. Cherwitz's lawyer, Celia Cohen, argued that the witnesses who testified weren't forced to do anything. When they didn't like the organization anymore or wanted to try other things, she said, they simply left. "No matter what you think about OneTaste and what they were doing, they chose it. They knew what it was about," she said in her closing statement last week. "The fact they are regretting the actions that they took when they were younger is not evidence of a crime." Lawyers for the defendants said their clients maintain their innocence and intend to appeal. "We are deeply disappointed in today's verdict," the lawyers said in a statement Monday. "This case raised numerous novel and complex legal issues that will require review by the Second Circuit." Daedone co-founded OneTaste in San Francisco in 2004 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," or "OM," which was carried out by men manually stimulating women in a group setting. The company enjoyed glowing media coverage in the 2010s and quickly opened outposts from Los Angeles to London. Portrayed as a cutting-edge enterprise that prioritized women's sexual pleasure, it generated revenue by providing courses, coaching, OM events, and other sexual practices for a fee. Daedone sold her stake in the company in 2017 for $12 million — 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.
18 hours ago
- Business
Leaders of ‘orgasmic meditation' women's wellness company OneTaste convicted in forced labor trial
NEW YORK -- 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 after deliberating for less than two days following a five-week trial. The two each face up to 20 years in prison when sentenced later. Prosecutors had 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, 57, of New York, and Cherwitz, 44, of California, 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nina Gupta, in her closing statement last week, said the defendants 'built a business on the backs' of victims who 'gave everything' to them, including 'their money, their time, their bodies, their dignity, and ultimately their sanity.' '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 manipulate them into performing labor and services for the defendants' benefit,' said Joseph Nocella, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Daedone's defense team cast her as a 'ceiling-shattering feminist entrepreneur' who created a unique business around women's sexuality and empowerment. Cherwitz's lawyer, Celia Cohen, argued that the witnesses who testified weren't forced to do anything. When they didn't like the organization anymore or wanted to try other things, she said, they simply left. 'No matter what you think about OneTaste and what they were doing, they chose it. They knew what it was about,' she said in her closing statement last week. 'The fact they are regretting the actions that they took when they were younger is not evidence of a crime.' Lawyers for the defendants said their clients maintain their innocence and intend to appeal. 'We are deeply disappointed in today's verdict," the lawyers said in a statement Monday. "This case raised numerous novel and complex legal issues that will require review by the Second Circuit.' Daedone co-founded OneTaste in San Francisco in 2004 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,' or 'OM,' which was carried out by men manually stimulating women in a group setting. The company enjoyed glowing media coverage in the 2010s and quickly opened outposts from Los Angeles to London. Portrayed as a cutting-edge enterprise that prioritized women's sexual pleasure, it generated revenue by providing courses, coaching, OM events, and other sexual practices for a fee. Daedone sold her stake in the company in 2017 for $12 million — 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.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Founders of OneTaste ‘orgasm cult' guilty of grooming employees to have sex with clients
They're finished. The glamorous leaders of the alleged 'orgasm cult' OneTaste were found guilty Monday of grooming their wellness company's members to have sex with clients and investors. OneTaste founder Nicole Daedone, 57, and her former head of sales, Rachel Cherwitz, 44, stood trial for four weeks in Brooklyn federal court as prosecutors argued the pair waged a decade-long campaign of coercion and sexual abuse. Nine former OneTaste employees testified about the company's cult-like atmosphere, where Daedone and Cherwitz manipulated them into performing a slew of sexual acts. 'These nine victims provided labor and services for what spanned more than a decade, from menial services to sex acts,' said Assistant US Attorney Nina Gupta in closing statements last week. Daedone and Cherwitz face up to 20 years behind bars after jurors convicted them on a conspiracy to commit forced labor charge following 12 1/2 hours of deliberations over two days. The verdict seals a fall from grace for the company's founders, who promoted so-called 'orgasmic meditation' involving group pleasuring sessions – and had been endorsed by Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop website. But the glitzy, libertine facade came crashing down after a series of exposés, including a Netflix documentary, revealing accusations that workers were encouraged to flirt and even have sex with potential clients. The feds eventually accused Daedone and Cherwitz of running their business like a cult, recruiting people who suffered past trauma by claiming they could fix their sexual suffering. Cherwitz enlisted one employee, a rape victim, to 'reenact' the incident before a crowd for a taboo course – performing oral sex on a partner while being told 'I love you,' as her real rapist had, prosecutors said. The purported goal, Gupta said, was 'to move from revulsion to turn on.' OneTaste also indoctrinated employees using terms like 'muggles,' from the 'Harry Potter' series, and 'Fourth Dimension' (one taste being the Fourth Dimension) to establish an us-versus-them attitude, prosecutors argued. Daedone herself even called the company a 'sex cult' during its early days, according to prosecutors. The California native founded OneTaste in San Francisco in 2004 as a wellness company promoting female empowerment — which, controversially, offered 'orgasmic meditation' for women. While it grew to have locations in New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Denver, prosecutors said the cheeky start-up hid a dark side. 'Behind the scenes, Nicole Daedone and Rachel Cherwitz directed young women to perform sexual services on VIPs and potential clients,' Gupta said. The depraved duo recruited vulnerable victims of past trauma to join their ranks, forcing them into sex work and other unpaid labor and leaving them to rack up debt, the feds said. The pair's lawyers argued that prosecutors persuaded OneTaste members into discovering their victimhood in hindsight, when at the time they were eager participants. 'The government tried to shock you about sex, orgasm, forced conduct… but not a single witness came to report a crime… not one filed a police report,' argued Celia Cohen, defense attorney for Cherwitz, during closing arguments. 'No one called the FBI. No one called to say they were forced into sex or labor.' But jurors evidently saw otherwise. 'The jury's verdict has unmasked Daedone and Cherwitz for who they truly are: grifters who preyed on vulnerable victims,' said Brooklyn US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. 'By making empty promises of sexual empowerment and wellness only to manipulate them into performing labor and services for the defendants' benefit.' Attorneys for Daedone and Cherwitz vowed to fight the verdict, saying they were 'deeply disappointed' in the decision. 'We maintain our clients' innocence and look forward to continuing this fight on appeal,' said Cohen and Michael Robotti, of Ballard Spahr LLP, in a joint statement with Jennifer Bonjean, of the Bonjean Law Group. 'This case raised numerous novel and complex legal issues that will require review by the Second Circuit. We find inspiration in our clients, Nicole and Rachel, who have shown incredible strength throughout this entire process.'
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
US: Leaders of women's sexual wellness firm, OneTaste, convicted in forced labour trial
The leaders of a sex-focused women's wellness company, OneTaste Inc., have been convicted of federal forced labour charges. The California-based company promoted 'orgasmic meditation'. Following a five-week trial, Nicole Daedone, founder of OneTaste Inc., and Rachel Cherwitz, the company's former sales director, were found by the Brooklyn jury guilty after deliberating for less than two days. Each faced 20 years in prison as per the sentence. The prosecutors argued that the two women ran a scheme for years that groomed individuals, many of them victims of sexual trauma, to do their bidding. They further claimed that Daedone 57 and Cherwitz, 44, used economic, sexual and psychological abuse, intimidation and indoctrination to force OneTaste members into sexual acts that they found uncomfortable or repulsive, such as having sex with prospective investors or clients. Followers were told to perform questionable acts as a way to obtain 'freedom' and 'enlightenment' and to demonstrate their commitment to OneTaste's principles. Also, they did not 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. In her closing statement, Assistant US Attorney Nina Gupta said that the defendants "built a business on the backs" of victims who "gave everything" to them, including "their money, their time, their bodies, their dignity, and ultimately their sanity." Meanwhile, Daedone's defence team cast her as a "ceiling-shattering feminist entrepreneur" who created a unique business around women's sexuality and empowerment. Cherwitz's lawyer argued that the witnesses who testified were not forced to do anything. When they did not like the organisation anymore or wanted to try other things, she said, they simply left. "The fact that they are regretting the actions that they took when they were younger is not evidence of a crime," she said. OneTaste began in San Francisco in 2004 as a self-help commune that viewed female orgasms as key to sexual and psychological wellness and interpersonal connection.
