How ‘orgasm cult’ leader forced employees into sex acts through ‘orgasmic meditation’

A Brooklyn court has sentenced Nicole Daedone, the 57-year-old founder of the wellness enterprise OneTaste, to nine years in prison. The ruling follows her conviction on forced labor conspiracy charges.

Her co-defendant, Rachel Cherwitz, who served as the organization's former head of sales, received a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence.

Federal prosecutors revealed that the organization, which promoted a trademarked practice known as orgasmic meditation, or "OMing," operated under a dark system of abuse.

The practice, which involves targeted clitoral stimulation, was marketed as a path toward spiritual connection, emotional wellness, and mental clarity. At its height, the group attracted 300,000 members globally and set up outposts in cities like San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Austin, and London.

Behind the facade of alternative therapy and personal growth, authorities discovered a climate of severe exploitation. Prosecutors stated that Daedone and Cherwitz "used psychological, emotional, and financial coercion to control their victims and extract labor and services for their own benefit."

Coercion disguised as wellness

According to the federal investigation, OneTaste intentionally targeted vulnerable individuals, particularly women who had previously experienced trauma. Once drawn into the community, these individuals were systematically isolated from their support networks. Adherents frequently lived together in communal housing entirely dedicated to Daedone’s teachings.

The government presented evidence showing that leaders stripped victims of their independence and assigned them grueling schedules. Victims were forced into performing unpaid services, including cooking, cleaning, and gardening. Furthermore, prosecutors proved that the defendants compelled these individuals to provide sexual favors for external investors to benefit the enterprise.

Prosecutor Sean Fern stated that the women had come to the community seeking personal growth but "left as shells of their former selves," per Courthouse News Service. Fern noted that the ultimate goals of the defendants were "power, prestige and money."

Exploitation and the cult debate

During the trial, the first witness for the government, a former member named Becky, shared details of her experience. She testified that she lost her sense of reality, accumulated massive financial debt, and endured verbal abuse alongside unwanted sexual touching. In her testimony, Becky stated, "OneTaste, to me, is a cult."

US attorney Joseph Nocella validated these accounts after the sentencing took place. "Coercion disguised as wellness or empowerment is still exploitation and it is a crime that causes harm to vulnerable victims," Nocella stated.

He emphasized that combining forced labor with sexual exploitation inflicted lasting trauma on the victims in ways that went far beyond unpaid labor or long hours.

Defense attorney Jennifer Bonjean countered the prosecution's narrative, labeling Daedone a "ceiling-shattering feminist entrepreneur," according to NBC News.

Bonjean argued that the government was misapplying forced labor laws and warned that the conviction came "painfully close to criminalizing thoughts and beliefs." The defense team intends to appeal the decision.

The psychology of control

The case has renewed public discussion regarding how modern wellness organizations can transform into dangerous groups. Steven Hassan, a former member of the Unification church and an expert on alternative movements, stated that OneTaste fit the definition of a cult.

Hassan told The Guardian that the organization "relied on authoritarian control and had narcissistic leaders who think they are above the law and control the behavior, information and thoughts of their followers."

Hassan also warned that modern technology allows groups to manipulate followers without requiring physical confinement. He explained that people are constantly being indoctrinated online through their phones, using modern tools to foster distrust and enforce a restrictive culture.

Conversely, the current leadership of OneTaste maintains that the prosecution is an attack on personal freedom. Per The New York Times, current CEO Anjuli Ayer told reporters outside the courthouse that the verdict was "a terrifying day for freedom," arguing that the case suggests ideas themselves are dangerous. Despite these objections from supporters, the court determined that the line between voluntary practice and criminal exploitation had been crossed.

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