Founder of Orgasmic Meditation Company Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Forced Labor Violations

Federal Prison Sentence for OneTaste Inc. Co-Founder Nicole Daedone

New York (AP) — Nicole Daedone, the co-founder of OneTaste Inc., a women's wellness company that promoted "orgasmic meditation," was sentenced to nine years in federal prison on Monday on charges of forced labor. The sentence was handed down in Brooklyn, with federal prosecutors also ordering Daedone to forfeit $12 million, the amount she sold the California-based company for in 2017.

The conviction stems from a years-long scheme that prosecutors say left "scores of victims financially, emotionally, and psychologically scarred." Daedone and her co-conspirators allegedly used economic pressure, psychological manipulation, physical exhaustion, and emotional degradation to control their victims, leaving behind a trail of financial ruin and lasting trauma.

The prosecution had sought a 20-year prison term for Daedone, but her lawyers argued for a much shorter sentence of around two years. They cited Daedone's lack of a prior criminal record and the support of over 200 people who submitted letters to the court attesting to her character, generosity, and positive influence.

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Those who penned letters of support for Daedone included Van Jones, a CNN correspondent and former adviser to President Barack Obama, who described her as "a woman of uncommon wisdom, grace, and moral courage." Actor Richard Schiff, of the television series "The West Wing," also wrote that Daedone was deserving of the court's leniency due to her dedication to helping others find healing, empowerment, and a deeper sense of human connection.

Daedone's lawyers did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment after the sentencing. Rachel Cherwitz, the company's former sales director, was set to be sentenced later on Monday. During the trial, prosecutors said that Daedone and Cherwitz used economic, sexual, and psychological abuse to force OneTaste members into uncomfortable or repulsive sexual acts, such as having sex with prospective investors or clients.

The company's current owners have since rebranded it as the Institute of OM Foundation and maintain that its work has been misconstrued and that the charges against its former executives were unjustified.

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