Nicole Daedone, the founder and former CEO of OneTaste, a company promoting “orgasmic meditation,” and Rachel Cherwitz, the company's former head of sales, have been convicted on forced labor conspiracy charges in federal court. The verdict, delivered in Brooklyn, marks the culmination of a case involving allegations of coercion and abuse within the company.
The Charges and the Verdict
A jury found Daedone and Cherwitz guilty of engaging in a “coercive scheme to obtain the labor and services” of OneTaste employees. Prosecutors detailed how the two executives employed “economic, sexual, emotional, financial, and psychological abuse, as well as surveillance, indoctrination, and intimidation” to control and exploit their employees.
The charges stem from activities alleged to have taken place between 2006 and 2018. During this period, Daedone and Cherwitz were accused of manipulating young women into performing degrading sex acts for the company's benefit, including sexually servicing potential investors. Prosecutors stated that the pair purposefully recruited individuals with “prior trauma” to participate in the OneTaste program.
Details of the Alleged Abuse
According to charging documents, OneTaste members were subjected to “constant surveillance” in communal homes, where they were assigned shared beds and required to eat and work in groups. Employees were allegedly coerced into working long hours with minimal or no pay. Furthermore, they were intimidated into incurring financial debt to pay for expensive OneTaste courses.
- Forced Labor Conspiracy: The core charge against Daedone and Cherwitz.
- Exploitation of Trauma: Allegations of targeting vulnerable individuals with pre-existing trauma.
- Financial Coercion: Pressuring employees into financial ruin to fund OneTaste courses.
- Constant Surveillance: Monitoring employees' activities in communal living environments.
The conviction sends a strong message about the severity of forced labor and the importance of holding individuals accountable for exploiting others under the guise of wellness or self-improvement.