The high-profile trial of OneTaste founder Nicole Daedone and former sales head Rachel Cherwitz began in a Brooklyn federal court this week, with defense attorneys arguing that the alleged victims of the so-called "orgasm cult" willingly participated in the company's unconventional practices.
Daedone and Cherwitz stand accused of running OneTaste, a wellness company promoting "orgasmic meditation," as a coercive cult that exploited members through psychological manipulation and economic pressure. Prosecutors have charged the pair with conspiracy to commit forced labor, alleging they recruited vulnerable individuals, often with histories of trauma, and pressured them into providing sexual services to investors and clients.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Fern described the company as a predatory operation that manipulated members into working for little or no pay while subjecting them to emotional and psychological abuse. "They worked because they were taught that the path to enlightenment was through obedience to the defendants' demands," Fern told the 12-person jury, adding that some members were coerced into performing acts they found deeply degrading under the guise of spiritual awakening.
However, defense attorneys for Daedone and Cherwitz countered this narrative, arguing that the so-called victims were consenting adults who simply regretted their past choices. Jennifer Bonjean, representing Daedone, told the jury, "At the time, they were having a blast. Grown people made grown decisions they don’t want to stand by now that they have kids and mortgages."
Bonjean suggested that many former members now feel embarrassed by their youthful participation in the sexually explicit practices at OneTaste, which she framed as a form of "yoga with a twist." Mike Robotti, representing Cherwitz, reinforced this stance, emphasizing that "no one put a gun to anyone's head" and that the exit door "was always open."
The trial marks a critical moment in the legal battle over OneTaste's controversial rise and fall, with Daedone and Cherwitz facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The proceedings are expected to scrutinize the blurred line between unconventional spiritual practices and exploitative labor schemes as both sides clash over the definition of consent and coercion.
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