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OneTaste Leaders Convicted of Forced Labor Conspiracy

A federal jury found founder Nicole Daedone alongside sales director Rachel Cherwitz guilty on June 9 after testimony described a scheme that coerced workers into unpaid labor, coercive sexual acts, psychological control, financial manipulation.

FILE - Nicole Daedone, center, founder and former CEO of OneTaste, departs Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday, June 13, 2023 in New York. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon, File)
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Overview

  • The five-week trial in Brooklyn centered on charges that Daedone and Cherwitz exploited vulnerable employees under the guise of expensive sexual wellness workshops.
  • Former staff testified they were driven into debt by costly “orgasmic meditation” courses and pressured to work long hours and perform sexual acts with clients and investors.
  • Prosecutors detailed methods including communal living surveillance, indoctrination rituals and credit-card inducements to maintain control over members.
  • Daedone and Cherwitz each face up to 20 years in prison at sentencing scheduled for late September 2025 and intend to appeal on grounds of consent and religious freedom.
  • Founded in San Francisco in 2004 and sold for $12 million in 2017, OneTaste grew globally before FBI scrutiny led to a 2023 forced-labor indictment.