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Two senior figures behind "sexual wellness" brand OneTaste have been convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn of conspiring to commit forced labor, after prosecutors accused them of manipulating employees and customers into unpaid work and coerced sex acts.
Nicole Daedone, the company’s founder, and former head of sales Rachel Cherwitz were found guilty Monday following a five-week trial and two days of jury deliberation. Both women remain free on bail and plan to appeal the verdicts, which carry potential sentences of up to 20 years in prison.
Sex acts with investors, no pay for workers
Founded in San Francisco in 2004, OneTaste operated on the promise of trauma recovery through sexually-focused wellness education courses and events, with retreats often costing tens of thousands of dollars.
According to federal prosecutors, Daedone and Cherwitz exploited workers and members by coercing them to labor without pay and pressuring them into sexual activity with company investors.
During the trial, former OneTaste employees testified that they had been “brainwashed,” directed to sleep with co-workers and customers, and feared exclusion from the group, which had become central to their lives. Some said the company’s financial backer was provided with “handlers” - women who were assigned to have sex with him for years.
“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,” Brooklyn US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said in a statement.
Witnesses, cult claims, and sentencing dates
The company expanded beyond San Francisco to Los Angeles, New York, London, and other major cities. In 2018, a Bloomberg investigation exposed former employees’ claims of psychological, financial, and sexual exploitation. Criminal charges followed in 2023.
At trial, prosecutors described OneTaste as a cult. “These victims came to OneTaste seeking personal growth,” Assistant US Attorney Sean Fern said during opening statements. “They left as shells of their former selves.”
Several defense witnesses acknowledged they had not resisted their assignments or been physically restrained. Daedone’s lawyer Jennifer Bonjean argued, “These were women who had full and complete autonomy over their brains and their bodies.”
Bonjean, who has also (somewhat unsuccessfully) represented Harvey Weinstein, R. Kelly, and Bill Cosby, added, “They were having a blast,” before blaming them for shifting responsibility a decade later.
Daedone did not testify, despite stating in a previous TV interview that she “absolutely” planned to. Defense arguments lasted less than one day with only one witness.
Sentencing is scheduled in September.
