Who is Nicole Daedone, known for 'orgasmic meditation' and accused of forcing members into sleeping with investors

Nicole Daedone, the woman who started a sex-focused women's wellness company that promoted a unique concept called "orgasmic meditation", has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison on forced labour charges. During the hearing in Brooklyn, she was also ordered to forfeit US$12 million, the amount for which she sold the California-based company, according to John Marzulli, spokesperson for the Office of the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. She is the co-founder of OneTaste Inc, a company under which they groomed the members and pushed them to perform sexual acts that they were uncomfortable with. Rachel Cherwitz, the company’s former sales director, was also found guilty following a five-week trial. Prosecutors argued that Daedone's scheme left "scores of victims financially, emotionally and psychologically scarred" and were seeking a 20-year prison term. She made her members-turned-workers have sex with prospective clients and investors, the court heard.

The women convinced them by saying it was necessary to obtain “freedom” and “enlightenment”. They did not pay them the promised money for carrying out these acts, and even got them to obtain new credit cards to take their courses.

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What is orgasmic meditation?

Orgasmic meditation was a centrepiece of Daedone's company, OneTaste Inc. It involves men manually stimulating the female members in a group setting to “achieve mindfulness, release stress and increase alertness”. It was defined as having "non-sexual boundaries" with the sole purpose of fostering "orgasmic energy". Daedone started OneTaste in San Francisco in 2004 as a self-help set-up that viewed female orgasms as key to sexual and psychological wellness and interpersonal connection. It tasted widespread fame in the 2010s, being called an enterprise that prioritised women’s sexual pleasure. It soon opened branches from Los Angeles to London. Critics have slammed the company's work, accusing it of acting like a cult. Daedone sold her stake in the company in 2017 for $12 million. The company has been rebranded as the Institute of OM Foundation.

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What the lawyers said about Daedone

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nina Gupta said the victims gave them everything, "their money, their time, their bodies, their dignity, and ultimately their sanity." Joseph Nocella, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said that Daedone and Cherwitz were "grifters who preyed on vulnerable victims by making empty promises of sexual empowerment and wellness only to manipulate them into performing labour and services for the defendants’ benefit."

Meanwhile, her lawyers sought a term of around two years, arguing she had no prior criminal record. More than 200 letters supporting her were submitted to the court “attesting to her character, her generosity, and her positive influence.” Van Jones, a CNN correspondent and former adviser to President Barack Obama, and Actor Richard Schiff, of the television series “The West Wing", were among those who praised her work and showed support. Jones called her "a woman of uncommon wisdom, grace and moral courage". Lawyers for the defendants plan to appeal the verdict.