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Toronto Sun
9 hours ago
- Business
- Toronto Sun
‘Orgasmic meditation' wellness company leaders convicted in forced labour trial
Published Jun 09, 2025 • 3 minute read Nicole Daedone, centre, founder and former CEO of OneTaste, departs Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, in New York City. Photo by Jeenah Moon / AP Photo NEW YORK — The leaders of a sex-focused women's wellness company that promoted 'orgasmic meditation' have been convicted of federal forced labour charges. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account A Brooklyn, N.Y., 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 years-long 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. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The two told followers the questionable acts were necessary 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. Read More 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. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. '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 labour and services for the defendants' benefit,' said Joseph Nocella, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. 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, 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.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 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 centrepiece 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 labour 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. Toronto Blue Jays Olympics Columnists Canada Ontario
Straits Times
16-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
New Jersey Transit rail strike commences as labor talks deadlock
A train conductor stands on a platform at Penn Station in New York, U.S., May 15, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon A commuter boards a train at Penn Station in New York, U.S., May 15, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon A passenger boards an NJ Transit train ahead of a strike deadline, at Penn Station in New York, U.S., May 15, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon PRINCETON, New Jersey - New Jersey's commuter rail engineers walked off the job early on Friday after 11th-hour contract talks with the third-largest U.S. public transit system stalled ahead of a midnight strike deadline set for meeting union wage demands. The first labor strike against the New Jersey Transit agency in more than 40 years went into effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT) on Friday. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, which represents 450 NJ Transit engineers who drive the agency's commuter trains, said a marathon 15-hour bargaining session on Thursday broke off when management negotiators walked out of the talks at 10 p.m. The union announcement came as New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and NJ Transit's Chief Executive Officer Kris Kolluri were holding a news conference. They told reporters talks had paused but that management remained willing to return to the bargaining table at any time. "We must reach a final deal that is both fair to employees and affordable," Murphy, a Democrat, told reporters. "Let's get back to the table and seal a deal." NJ Transit said the rail system was commencing "a safe shutdown" at 12:01 a.m., with no new departures started after that point, although trains already en route would finish their trips. The strike, the first mass transit work stoppage to hit New Jersey since a three-week walkout in 1983, was expected to idle trains serving hundreds of thousands of commuters in New Jersey and New York. The agency said in a statement it would increase bus service on existing lines and charter private buses to operate from several satellite lots to help ease the impact but warned buses would only be able to handle around 20% of rail customers. The looming strike had already prompted the agency to cancel trains and buses to MetLife Stadium for pop star Shakira's concerts on Thursday and Friday nights. NJ Transit also urged commuters to work from home on Friday, if possible. It was unclear how long the labor dispute might last. Kolluri said the U.S. National Mediation Board had reached out to both sides to propose reopening talks on Sunday morning, but he said NJ Transit stood ready to resume negotiations anytime before that. The union statement made no mention of when talks might be restarted. It said picket lines would go up at 4 a.m. at several locations across the rail system, including NJ Transit's headquarters in Newark, Penn Station in New York City, and the Atlantic City rail terminal. The labor clash came weeks after negotiators had agreed on a potential deal in March, but the union's members voted overwhelmingly to reject it. The union has said it is simply aiming to raise the engineers' salaries to match those at other commuter railroads in the region. NJ Transit cannot afford the pay raises that the engineers are seeking because 14 other unions that negotiate separate labor contracts with the agency would demand the same, higher wage rates for their members, Kolluri told reporters. "I have always said that any deal we reach would have to be fair to our engineers and fiscally responsible without burdening our riders or the taxpayers," Kolluri said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
16-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
New Jersey Transit rail strike to begin on Friday, union says
A train conductor stands on a platform at Penn Station in New York, U.S., May 15, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon A passenger boards an NJ Transit train ahead of a strike deadline, at Penn Station in New York, U.S., May 15, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon A commuter boards a train at Penn Station in New York, U.S., May 15, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon A screen displays a rail service disruption warning ahead of an NJ Transit strike deadline, at Penn Station in New York, U.S., May 15, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon PRINCETON, New Jersey - New Jersey's commuter rail engineers will walk off the job early on Friday after 11th-hour contract talks with the third-largest U.S. public transit system stalled just ahead of a midnight deadline set for meeting their wage demands, the workers union said late on Thursday. The first labor strike against the New Jersey Transit agency in more than 40 years was set to go into effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT) on Friday, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen said in a statement. The union, which represents 450 NJ Transit engineers who drive the agency's commuter trains, said a marathon 15-hour bargaining session on Thursday broke off when management negotiators walked out of the talks at 10 p.m. The union announcement came as New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and NJ Transit's Chief Executive Officer Kris Kolluri were holding a news conference, telling reporters talks had "paused" but that management remained willing to return to the bargaining table at any time. They also outlined the agency's contingency plans for dealing with a strike that is expected to idle trains serving hundreds of thousands of commuters in New Jersey and New York. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New York Post
07-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
These airlines ranked highest and lowest in customer satisfaction for 2025: JD Power study
Their service ratings are taking off. According to J.D. Power's 2025 North American Airline Satisfaction Study, overall passenger satisfaction is up six points from 2024 — and three airlines reigned supreme. Airline passengers have revealed that JetBlue, Delta Air Lines and Southwest provide the highest customer satisfaction rate. 6 Passengers have revealed that JetBlue, Delta Air Lines and Southwest have the highest customer satisfactory rate. ¬© Simon Lewis Studio The study analyzed seven core elements: airline staff, digital tools, ease of travel, level of trust, on-board experience, pre/post-flight experience and value for price paid. It also measured satisfaction rates in three different segments: first/business, premium economy, and economy/basic economy. Looking at these aspects, JetBlue ranked the highest in customers satisfaction in the first/business segment, while Delta came in second and Alaska Airlines in third. In premium economy, Delta takes the top spot for a third consecutive year with Delta's Comfort+, which offers flyers extra leg room as well as free wine, beer and premium snacks. JetBlue ranked second and Alaska ranked third. 6 JetBlue ranked the highest in customers satisfaction in the first/business segment. J.D. Power Southwest Airlines has the highest customer satisfaction rate in the economy/basic economy category for the fourth consecutive year. In second for this segment was JetBlue and in third, Delta. However, Southwest's top spot could be in jeopardy considering the survey didn't account for the airline's highly controversial decision to end the free checked bag policy, which was met with fiery backlash from loyal customers. On the other side, Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines, WestJet, Air Canada and American Airlines ranked in the bottom five for the economy/basic economy category. 6 Southwest's top spot could be in jeopardy considering the survey didn't account for the airline's highly controversial decision to end the free checked bag policy.6 In premium economy, Delta takes the top spot for a third consecutive year with Delta's Comfort+. J.D. Power 'Throughout our one-year study period, we've seen a slight decline in both ticket prices and passenger volume, which has helped keep overall passenger satisfaction levels high,' Michael Taylor, senior managing director of travel, hospitality, retail and customer service at J.D. Power, said in a statement. 'But it's clear that market dynamics are changing and will likely affect passenger experience in the coming weeks and months. Airlines will likely have a tougher year this year, economically, but the key to their longer-term success will be how well they manage economic headwinds without compromising on customer experience.' 6 Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines, WestJet, Air Canada and American Airlines ranked in the bottom five for the economy/basic economy category. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon 6 Southwest Airlines has the highest customer satisfaction rate in the economy/basic economy category for the fourth consecutive year. J.D. Power The survey was based on responses from 10,224 passengers who had flown on one of the airlines within the last month of participating in the survey, with responses collected from March 2024 through March 2025.
Miami Herald
22-04-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Struggling luxury department store cuts 450 jobs
In the '80s when this writer was growing up, department stores were a magical place, well-staffed by polite, beautiful women and handsome, well-dressed men, always ready to escort you to purchase your next dress or suit. Christmas was perhaps the swan song of every department store's year, and many children (myself included) looked forward to a visit to their local Macy's, JCPenney, or Saks Fifth Avenue to see the store's best decorations, including a Christmas tree so tall that children and adults both marveled at how high it towered above their heads. Don't miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet's FREE Daily newsletter This is ancient history now, of course. Today 76% of adults shop online, and the worry of "But I can't try it on" has been remedied with free, easy returns. The convenience of entering your card into checkout and pressing buy has simply won people over - why waste gas and time driving to the mall when you really don't have to? Related: Iconic retail chain store closing after over 50 years We've watched as this change has wreaked havoc on the department stores of yore, and it's been brutal. Sears bankrupted in 2018 and shuttered all of its locations (two have since quietly reopened after hedge fund operator Eddie Lampert bought control of the chain for $11 billion). Lord & Taylor, once a high-end luxury department store, also filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and now only exists online. Then there are the ones still open but struggling: Macy's, which just announced it would shutter 150 stores by 2026. JCPenney, which filed for bankruptcy in 2020, continues to close locations, with eight more shuttering this year. Now there's another one added to that list, and considering the shoppers it typically attracted, it's a surprise that it has lasted so long. Image source: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images Saks Global, which operates Saks Fifth Avenue (SKS) stores, has announced that it will shutter a Tennessee fulfillment center, according to a WARN Notice filed with the state's Department of Labor and Workforce Development last week. This layoff will affect the jobs of 446 workers. The closure will begin on June 4 and conclude by Nov. 30, 2025, according to a memo from the director of employee services. Related: Winemakers uncover a worrisome new problem "As we come together as Saks Global, we are continuing to take steps to optimize our fulfillment network to ensure we are best positioned to serve our customers," Saks Global said in a statement."We have made the decision to close operations at our La Vergne, Tennessee Distribution Center (TNDC). With this, we will be shifting inventory volume to Saks Global's Pottsville, Pennsylvania Distribution Center (PADC), which is well-equipped to scale to handle the additional volume. We are grateful to our TNDC colleagues for their contributions and are committed to supporting them through this transition." This comes after Saks announced layoffs of 5% of staff in February. The downsizing accompanied an integration process; Saks teamed up with Amazon to purchase Neiman Marcus in 2024 as part of a $2.65 billion merger that created Saks Global. Saks has gotten some negative attention about its decision to buy Neiman Marcus, as some vendors said the company was delinquent on payments. Ryan Babenzien, Founder of sneaker brand Greats, spoke out about the issue in an interview with PYMNTS, saying, "What I don't understand is how you can get someone to give you a couple of billion dollars to buy Neiman Marcus when you can't even cough up $15,000 to pay your vendors." Related: Walmart makes bold move to take down Starbucks Saks Global CEO Marc Metrick then sent out a memo that offered payment terms for past-due invoices, but said that they would not begin until July and would be paid back in 12 installments. He also promised any new orders would be fulfilled within 90 days. Overdue bills will be processed over a series of 12 installments beginning in July. Metrick, however, reassured vendors that any new orders would be fulfilled within 90 days of receipt, despite the 60-day industry standard. Saks' future remains uncertain, but one thing is for sure: with prices soaring on everything from groceries to clothing and President Trump's tariffs looming, luxury goods probably aren't high on most consumers' lists right now. The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
