Leaders of ‘orgasmic meditation’ wellness company convicted in forced labor trial

NEW YORK (AP) - The leaders of a sex-focused women's wellness company that promoted "orgasmic meditation" have been convicted of federal forced labor charges.

A Brooklyn jury on Monday found Nicole Daedone, founder of OneTaste Inc., and Rachel Cherwitz, the California-based company's former sales director, guilty of forced labor conspiracy after deliberating for less than two days following a roughly monthlong trial.

Daedone's defense team had cast her as a "ceiling-shattering feminist entrepreneur" who created a unique business around women's sexuality and empowerment.

But prosecutors argued the two women ran a yearslong scheme that groomed adherents - many of them victims of sexual trauma - to do their bidding.

They said Daedone and Cherwitz used economic, sexual and psychological abuse, intimidation and indoctrination to force OneTaste members into sexual acts they found uncomfortable or repulsive, such as having sex with prospective investors or clients.

The two told followers the questionable acts were necessary in order to obtain "freedom" and "enlightenment" and demonstrate their commitment to the organization's principles.

Prosecutors said OneTaste leaders also didn't pay promised earnings to the members-turned-workers and even forced some of them to take out new credit cards to continue taking the company's courses.

Lawyers for the two women didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment Monday.

OneTaste started in San Francisco around 2005 as a sort of self-help commune that viewed female orgasms as key to sexual and psychological wellness and interpersonal connection.

A centerpiece was "orgasmic meditation," carried out by men manually stimulating women in a group setting.

The company quickly opened outposts from Los Angeles to London following glowing media coverage in the 2010s. At the time, OneTaste was portrayed as a cutting-edge enterprise that prioritized women's sexual pleasure.

But Daedone sold her stake in 2017 - a year before OneTaste's marketing and labor practices came under scrutiny.

The company's current owners, who have rebranded it the Institute of OM Foundation, have said its work has been misconstrued and the charges against its former executives were unjustified.

They maintain sexual consent has always been a cornerstone of the organization. The company didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.