Latest news with #sexcult
The Sun
11-07-2025
- The Sun
‘My police chief dad raped me for 11yrs as leader of twisted paedo sex cult whose members would chase me through woods'
THE daughter of a police chief claims her dad raped her for 11 years as part of a twisted paedo sex cult. Courtney Tamagny, 20, claims members of the alleged sex cult in New Jersey made children play sick "games," allowing them to run through the woods before subjecting them to abuse. 4 4 4 She has filed a lawsuit against her dad, New Jersey's Leonia Police Chief Scott Tamagny as well as a neighbor, Kevin Slevin. Dad Tamagny and neighbor Slevin say the claims were thoroughly investigated as high as the federal government and determined to be unfounded. Slevin has even countersued Courtney for defamation. But Courtney hasn't shied away from the legal chaos as she has taken her claims public, appearing on podcasts to describe the alleged sexual abuse. The 20-year-old claims her dad and Slevin abused her in their home, as well as "ritualistic" masked worshippers in the local woodland. Her dad also allegedly threatened to murder her mom if she ever spoke up, court documents revealed. The lawsuit claimed: "[Courtney was brought] into the woods in Rockland County New York, and there was what appeared to be other middle-aged men present with masks on their faces." Here, she allegedly recalls there "being fire and animals being burned, and they would chant as if ritualistic". It further claimed: "She was sexually assaulted in those woods by defendant Slevin, defendant father, and some of the other men present." The alleged heinous abuse began in 2009 when Courtney was around four years old, with the lawsuit claiming it continued until she was 15, in 2020. Both of Courtney's sisters are also allegedly victims of abuse, according to the lawsuit. YouTuber found guilty of wife's murder in shocking Bradford attack Their dad allegedly used drugs to sedate them before assaulting them while their mom was either away or asleep. Courtney's mom, Jeanne Tamagny, stood by her daughters side as a plaintiff on the lawsuit and is in the process of divorcing her husband. The 20-year-old also claims that, as a survival tactic, she suppressed memories of the abuse - with her only recalling the horrific ordeal after a visit to a doctor for genital pain. The doctor had asked Courtney if she had been sexually abuse, which caused her to have flashbacks, the suit claims. It was her therapist that eventually reported the abuse to authorities in 2022, court papers say. Courtney has described the alleged abuse on a podcast in April called 'We're All Insane'. Here she also claimed generation of her dad's "bloodline" had been in a satanic cult with neighbors in their North Jersey town. 4 She further alleged they ritualistically raped her and her siblings - and even trafficked children and burned them alive in the woods. Courtney claimed on the pod that the neighborhood cult members had underground "tunnels" which they would use to operate their rituals. This included allegedly "taking kids' blood," "drum circles" and "burnings" - which would last all night. Courtney said on the show: "Burnings of animals, animal skins, humans as well." She added: "What scared us the most is 'Ok, we're doing this to these people we've trafficked, why wouldn't we do this to you? Because we just did that to this young girl or this young boy." Courtney said the alleged cult was part of a national group of satanists that engaged in child trafficking. She also talked of the alleged "games" that would occur - but "were not games". One was allegedly called "Hunter and Gatherers" where more than 10 children were released into the woods and told to hide. Cult members would then allegedly find them before assaulting them. Courtney claimed on the pod: "They made it as if it was a game and you could win. "You weren't going to win, you were always going to be hit, they just wanted you to look terrified and run." Epstein prison CCTV is finally RELEASED 6yrs after paedo's 'suicide'…as probe 'reveals whether financier killed himself' Courtney also claimed her dad used his position of being in local law enforcement to trap her in the abuse, thwarting any opportunity for her to get help. The 20-year-old is suing her dad and neighbor Slevin, and has also named the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, the State of New Jersey, numerous state child protective services, among others. Tamagny and Slevin have both vehemently denied the claims. Slevin's attorney, Kevin Corriston, told The New York Post:"It's made up out of whole cloth. "This entire complaint was previously investigated by everybody from Homeland Security, to the Attorney General's Office in New Jersey, to the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, and they found no basis at all for these outrageous allegations. "Having got no satisfaction from law enforcement, she now decided to sue all the people who were involved in the investigation. "These claims are on their face unbelievable. There is no way in the world that there was some sort of secret satanic child sex cult operating out of Riverdale, New Jersey. "This is a fantasy made up in her mind." The countersuit filed by Slevin accuses Courtney of defamation and claims her allegations have "exposed [him] to public ridicule and held in disrepute". Courtney's claims have also caused him "extreme embarrassment and humiliation and severe mental distress". Tamagny's attorney, similar to Slevin's, called the allegations "completely false and defamatory". If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network) at 800-656-HOPE (4673).
Telegraph
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
I don't want to live in a world that criminalises unconventional sex
I don't have a pension pot for my dotage, but long thought that if I fell on hard times I could start a sex cult. After all, I used to edit the Erotic Review magazine and am the proud owner of an antler-horn headdress. At least, that was the plan until the New York trial of OneTaste founder Nicole Daedone and her head of sales, Rachel Cherwitz, started this month. The glossy duo, who ran an alternative lifestyle company focused on women's erotic pleasure, are charged with conspiracy to commit forced labour after a number of adherents said that they were coerced into having sex with colleagues and potential investors. Details of the allegations were laid out in investigations by Bloomberg, then a BBC podcast and, most infamously, in Netflix's Orgasm Inc, which incorporated passages from diaries written by a former sales rep for the company, Ayries Blanck. For anyone who doesn't scour streaming services for lurid sex documentaries, a little explication may be required. I feel fairly qualified on the topic, as I flew to San Francisco in 2011 to interview Daedone about OneTaste and her book Slow Sex: the Art and Craft of the Female Orgasm. The author and CEO had garnered ideas from Tantra, Buddhism and yoga and crafted them into what she dubbed 'Orgasmic Meditation', or OMing for short. The practice was conceived as an antidote to the 'harder, faster!' school of male-centric sex and was focused on female anatomy and pleasure. So far, so laudable; but the practice was also highly unorthodox – or plain whackjob, depending on your outlook. In essence, it involved women removing their lower clothing and reclining on a nest of cushions, before their OMing partner (generally a man) stroked their intimate anatomy for 15 minutes in a prescribed manner. This tended to occur in a room filled with other nesting couples with the avowed intention to build enhanced capacity for pleasure. Daedone and one of her wing women explained all this to me in a coffee bar, while radiating the beatific glow of sexy cats who'd drunk all the cream. I felt a bit like I'd fallen down a time wormhole and ended up at Woodstock circa 1969. I found Daedone intelligent, persuasive and charismatic: characteristics that would lead to her downfall, as she stepped ever further into Sex-guru Land. She espoused her wish for OM classes to be taught 'like yoga' in gyms across the US and the UK, to which I replied that while the idea might fly in hippy-dippy California, I couldn't see Milton Keynes's WI discarding their knickers in a David Lloyd club. However, not long afterwards OneTaste opened a branch in London and a handful of erotically short-changed women I knew (mostly divorcees) signed up for classes. One was so enthused she flew out to California for more in-depth courses. They were far from being the only enthusiasts; in 2018 Daedone appeared on Gwynneth Paltrow's Goop podcast, making the zenith of OneTaste's social acceptability. Shortly after that, Bloomberg ran an exposé on the movement's business practices: some members had fallen into heavy debt after paying for courses and others had felt pressurised into sexual liaisons. It also transpired that OneTaste had paid Ayries Blanck (author of the Netflix diaries) $325,000 to settle a labour dispute. Then the FBI started their own investigation and it was widely reported that Daedone and Cherwitz were going to be charged with sex trafficking. I felt rather like I do when told a married couple who enthusiastically embraced swinging had suddenly filed for divorce: who would have thought it, apart from absolutely everyone? But I still found it hard to view the upfront, engaging Daedone as an evil sex slaver. Rarely has a person been more candid about their methodology and objectives; she was even transparent about her drive to monetise the practice. It was also hard to say practitioners had zero idea what they were getting into, since their first view of OneTaste involved half-naked women reaching orgasmic plateaus in a group setting. But Daedone may well have encouraged some obsessive and vulnerable devotees to sit at her feet, amidst the hardy. It's not hard to believe duty of care was woefully insufficient and that some members experienced severe regrets and trauma. Even so, I'm troubled by the court case. Especially now that (dramatic drum-roll) Ayries Blanck's diaries have been disallowed as evidence, after the defence team substantiated their claim they were faked. It transpired the hand-written journals were copied from a computer document years after the events described took place. Also that the computer file appears to have been edited by various interested parties, casting doubts on its authenticity. Furthermore, Blanck's sister Autymn was paid $25,000 by Netflix to present archival material on behalf of her sister. Another perturbing factor is the charge itself: 'conspiracy to commit forced labour', rather than 'forced labour'. The odd wording may be due to the fact complainants admit no force was exerted on them. They were free to stay or leave OneTaste, to live in a communal house or elsewhere, to take breaks and use their mobiles as they pleased. So, it seems to me that what's on trial might more properly be viewed as sway – the kind of charisma that makes people keen to do your bidding and seek approbation, or to feel outcast if that approval is withdrawn. Many people will have had a boss, partner, parent or even religious leader who had this power over them. It can feel deeply unethical and people who have been in thrall to such personalities often bitterly regret their choices. But they will also likely find that other followers still lionise and defend that mesmerising figure. Daedone walks to court flanked by women supporters. Whatever your view on OneTaste, their alleged misdemeanours pale beside those of other high-profile cases going on in NYC at the moment: Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial for sex trafficking and Harvey Weinstein's appeal against rape and assault convictions. Isn't it possible that Daedone and Cherwitz are careless kooks and egomaniacs, not sex offenders? And that if they are found guilty, we may enter a world where no one takes personal responsibility for questionable choices. One where the state feels free to criminalise unconventional sex. If so, that is not a world I want to live in.
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Orgasm 'cult' OneTaste founder's shocking explanation for 'coercing staff into sexual slavery'
The ringleader of an alleged orgasmic sex cult claimed her controversial 'orgasmic meditation' was not forced onto anyone and was simply 'yoga with a twist.' OneTaste founder Nicole Daedone and Head of Sales Rachel Cherwitz were charged with forced labor conspiracy in 2023 for coercing volunteers, employees and contractors to perform sex acts, according to the Department of Justice. The California natives both pleaded not guilty, claiming their work promoted female empowerment through orgasms. During opening statements of their highly-anticipated trial, which kicked off this week, the women's legal team fiercely denied accusations that anything about their activities was predatory or exploitative. 'It was like yoga with a twist,' Daedone's attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, bluntly declared in Brooklyn's US District Court on Tuesday. She added that the reason for any unflattering accusations made against OneTaste stem from shame felt from former participants. 'Now they're married and have kids and don't want their neighbors to know what they were doing in their 20s,' Bonjean said about former members. 'At the time, they were having a blast. Grown people made grown decisions they don't want to stand by.' Bonjean described Daedone as a spiritual and educated businesswoman who developed 'a scientific-based practice with proven benefits,' according to The New York Times. This scientifically-driven practice: a ritual involving a woman lying down without any pants or undergarments as someone rubbed her genitals for about 15 minutes, according to the indictment. Wrapping up on Tuesday, Bonjean accused the court of trying to criminalize a sex-positive lifestyle and said people were free to leave whenever they pleased. 'That's not force, that's not coercion. It may even be growth,' Bojean said. At one point, OneTaste operated centers in cities including New York, San Francisco, Denver, Las Vegas, Boulder, Los Angeles, Austin and London. In New York City, OneTaste leased residences and hosted events in several different locations, including in Brooklyn and the Manhattan neighborhoods of Harlem, Hell's Kitchen, Soho and the West Village. Between 2006 and 2008, OneTaste allegedly subjected members to 'economic, sexual, emotional and psychological abuse; surveillance; indoctrination; and intimidation,' the indictment reads. Prosecutors said they preyed on traumatized women and told them their 'orgasmic meditation' could heal them. Daedone and Cherwitz have been accused of forcing members to become dependent on each other - making them share beds and travel in groups. Financially, they allegedly urged people to go into debt so they had nowhere else to go. In August of 2015, former employee Ayries Blanck filed a lawsuit against the company. Blanck started working for the firm in 2012, but left in 2014. She then signed a non-disclosure agreement and settled out of court with OneTaste for $325,000 after alleging she was manipulated into having sex. In the lawsuit, she claimed she was subjected her to a 'hostile work environment, sexual harassment, failure to pay minimum wage and intentional infliction of emotional distress.' Five months before Daedone and Cherwitz were indicted, Netflix aired Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste. Blanck was featured in the bombshell documentary, in which she shared her journal entries that painted a dark picture of the workplace. But in March, Blanck's journals were thrown out of the Brooklyn court under defense pressure – and prosecutors said she was no longer considered a key witness. 'The government no longer believes that the disputed portions of the handwritten journals are authentic,' prosecutors wrote to the judge. They said the diaries were transcribed years later. In April, an FBI special agent, who was also involved in the Netflix hit, was accused of fabricating evidence by a member of Congress. obtained a letter to FBI director Kash Patel 'seeking answers' about the special agent in the case. The representative, whose name is redacted, alleges a special agent of the New York City division has 'a long and extremely troubling list of alleged investigative abuses which demand accountability.' has decided not to name the agent in the letter, whose 'actions appear to represent a fundamental corruption of the investigative process and a failure of agent accountability,' it reads. The letter accuses the special agent of 'participating in Netflix productions while investigating targets' plus making up evidence 'through entertainment media.' filing misleading affidavits, directing witnesses to destroy evidence and using personal email to avoid official scrutiny. 'Most disturbing is the systematic effort to transform Netflix-created content into federal evidence,' it states. 'This isn't just overreach – it's deliberate fabrication of a criminal case through entertainment media.' Adding to the convoluted nature surrounding Daedone and Cherwitz's legal situation, they sued Netflix for airing 'completely false' accusations against them.
Times
07-05-2025
- Times
OneTaste ‘orgasmic meditation' firm was forced-labour cult, trial told
The leaders of an alleged sex cult accused of encouraging followers to masturbate in group 'orgasmic meditation' sessions to treat trauma went on trial in New York on Tuesday. Nicole Daedone, 58, the founder of OneTaste, and Rachel Cherwitz, 45, the company's former head of sales, were indicted on charges of running a conspiracy involving forced labour and face a six-week trial at a federal court in Brooklyn. Daedone, who led OneTaste from 2004 to 2017, touted it as an educational organisation teaching women to raise their consciousness and sexual empowerment through sexual pleasure. Thousands attended OneTaste's courses, which could cost up to tens of thousands of dollars, with the women promising they would help them achieve higher meaning, deeper universal connection and heal their
