Nicole Daedone, the founder of a controversial women’s wellness company known for promoting “orgasmic meditation,” has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison on forced labor charges.
A federal court in Brooklyn also ordered Daedone to forfeit $12 million, the amount she received when she sold her stake in OneTaste Inc., according to John Marzulli, a spokesperson for the Office of U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
Prosecutors had pushed for a 20-year sentence, asserting in pre-sentencing filings that Daedone’s scheme left “scores of victims financially, emotionally and psychologically scarred.”
They argued that “Daedone and her co-conspirators exercised control through economic pressure, psychological manipulation, physical exhaustion and emotional degradation, leaving behind a trail of financial ruin and lasting trauma.”
However, Daedone’s lawyers contended that a lengthy imprisonment would be “bonkers,” advocating for a term of approximately two years.
They highlighted her lack of a prior criminal record and presented over 200 letters to the court “attesting to her character, her generosity, and her positive influence.”
Her defense team wrote in their sentencing memo that she “has lived an uncommon and impactful life, and she is deeply respected by people from all walks of life, including many entirely unconnected to OneTaste.”
They described her as “a prolific writer, teacher, and spiritual practitioner whose work has long focused on reducing suffering and fostering meaningful human connection.”
Among those who submitted letters of support were CNN correspondent Van Jones, a former adviser to President Barack Obama, and actor Richard Schiff of “The West Wing.”
Jones characterized Daedone as “a woman of uncommon wisdom, grace and moral courage” who has “dedicated her life to helping others find healing, empowerment and a deeper sense of human connection.”
Schiff argued she deserved leniency because she has “spent her life trying to bring compassion, awareness, and honesty to a part of human experience that is often shamed or misunderstood.”
During the roughly month-long trial, prosecutors detailed how Daedone and former sales director Rachel Cherwitz, who is set to be sentenced later, ran a years-long scheme.
They allegedly groomed adherents, many of whom were victims of sexual trauma, to perform their bidding.
The two women were accused of using economic, sexual, and psychological abuse, intimidation, and indoctrination to coerce OneTaste members into sexual acts they found uncomfortable or repulsive, such as engaging with prospective investors or clients.
Followers were told these acts were essential for achieving “freedom,” “enlightenment,” and demonstrating commitment to the company’s principles.
One of Daedone’s lawyers, conversely, portrayed her as a “ceiling-shattering feminist entrepreneur” who established a unique business centered on women’s sexuality and empowerment.
OneTaste was co-founded by Daedone in San Francisco in 2004 as a self-help commune that posited female orgasms as crucial for sexual and psychological wellness and interpersonal connection. A core practice was “orgasmic meditation,” or “OM,” which involved men manually stimulating women in a group setting.
The company garnered positive media attention in the 2010s as a pioneering enterprise focused on women’s sexual pleasure, expanding with outposts from Los Angeles to London.
Daedone sold her stake in 2017 for $12 million, a year before OneTaste’s marketing and labor practices came under intense scrutiny.
The company’s current owners have since rebranded it as the Institute of OM Foundation, maintaining that its work has been misrepresented and the charges against its former executives were unjustified.
