Nicole Daedone, the founder of the controversial “sexual wellness” company OneTaste, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for orchestrating a decade-long forced labor scheme that systematically exploited women under the guise of personal empowerment.
A Brooklyn federal judge handed down the sentence following a landmark June 2025 conviction that exposed the dark reality behind the San Francisco-born organization. Rachel Cherwitz, the company’s former head of sales and Daedone’s top lieutenant, received a six-and-a-half-year prison term for her role in the conspiracy.
The sentencing marks the culmination of an intensive investigation into OneTaste, which Daedone founded in 2004. While the company gained international notoriety for promoting “orgasmic meditation” (OM), prosecutors successfully argued that the practice was merely the “hook” for a predatory business model.
Evidence presented during the five-week trial detailed how Daedone and Cherwitz targeted vulnerable individuals seeking emotional healing. Once recruited, members were funneled into high-cost courses and communal living environments designed to erode their independence.
Federal authorities established that OneTaste functioned through a sophisticated web of psychological and financial control. Victims were frequently pushed into significant debt to pay for retreats and “elite” memberships, effectively trapping them within the organization.
Once under the defendants’ control, victims were forced into grueling labor. Key testimony revealed:
- Members worked seven days a week with little to no compensation.
- Victims were subjected to constant monitoring and isolation from outside support systems.
- Women were allegedly coerced into performing sex acts with investors and clients to secure business interests.
In one harrowing account, witnesses described being forced to act as “handlers” for a major investor, performing domestic labor and sexual acts at his command.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. lauded the sentence, stating the case “exposed a decade-long scheme” built on “psychological, emotional, and financial coercion.”
Beyond the prison terms, the court took aggressive steps to dismantle the financial remains of the enterprise. Judge [Name] ordered Daedone to forfeit $12 million in assets. Additionally, the court awarded nearly $888,000 in restitution to the survivors of the scheme.
The sentencing of Daedone and Cherwitz signals a major victory for federal labor trafficking task forces, highlighting a growing judicial focus on “wellness” organizations that utilize cult-like tactics to exploit their members.
