The glamorous leaders of the alleged “orgasm cult” OneTaste were found guilty Monday of grooming their wellness company’s members to have sex with clients and investors.
OneTaste founder Nicole Daedone, 57, and her former head of sales, Rachel Cherwitz, 44, face up to 20 years behind bars after jurors in Brooklyn federal court convicted them on a conspiracy to commit forced labor charge.
The company promoted so-called “orgasmic meditation” involving group pleasuring sessions – and had been endorsed by Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop website.
But the glitzy, libertine facade came crashing down after a series of exposés, including a Netflix documentary, revealing accusations that workers were encouraged to flirt and even have sex with potential clients.
The feds eventually accused Daedone and Cherwitz of running their business like a cult, recruiting people who suffered past trauma by claiming they could fix their sexual suffering.
“The jury’s verdict has unmasked Daedone and Cherwitz for who they truly are: grifters who preyed on vulnerable victims, by making empty promises of sexual empowerment and wellness only to manipulate them into performing labor and services for the defendants’
benefit,” said Brooklyn US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr.
“I commend the witnesses who testified at trial notwithstanding the trauma that they experienced at the defendants’ direction,” he said in a statement announcing the verdict.
“It is my hope that the just conclusion of this process will bring them closure, and that future charlatans think twice about exploiting human beings in this manner.”
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