Bay Area startup OneTaste forced employees to have sex in 'orgasmic meditation circles': witness testimony

A federal trial is underway for the former heads of the OneTaste wellness company, who have been accused of forcing their employees to have sex to relieve tension. On Tuesday, the Court heard testimony from an ex-employee who claimed that workers were expected to participate in daily morning "orgasmic meditation circles" that included stroking a partner's genitals for 15 minutes. Many of the employees shared beds while living together in a communal apartment in Harlem, New York City, according to witness testimony reported by Courthouse News.

OneTaste founder Nicole Daedone, 57, and former head of sales Rachel Cherwitz, 44, are both on trial this week in Brooklyn, New York. They have each been charged with one count of forced labor conspiracy, according to a federal indictment. The wellness company was founded in San Francisco, California, and has been described as a sex cult.

Daedone and Cherwitz are accused of carrying out a years-long scheme "to obtain the labor and services of a group of OneTaste members - including volunteers, contractors, and employees of OneTaste - by subjecting them to economic, sexual, emotional and psychological abuse, surveillance, indoctrination, and intimidation," a press release from the DOJ stated.

One former worker, identified only as "Max," told the jury that Cherwitz had ordered two staff members to leave a sales meeting so they could have sex to relieve sexual tension that she attributed to a loss in profits for the company. "I felt so sick inside," Max told the Court. "I think that was the moment when I just woke up." He added that the partner of one of the workers who was sent off to have sex had a breakdown while waiting for her partner to return to the room.

Becky, who was one of the staff members ordered to have sex, testified that the man whom she was told to "have a makeout" with, which is reportedly a OneTaste term for sexual activity, was in a relationship with her friend, who was also in the sales meeting.

Additionally, both witnesses told the Court that they were forced to be on-call 24 hours a day, weren't allowed to take vacation or sick days, had to immediately respond to text messages, and received no pay for months at a time, the outlet reported.

While on the stand, Max said that employees were required to report to Cherwitz if any of their colleagues had started to become distant from the group. "There was no private space whatsoever in the house," he said.

Max testified that his job in the company was to drive Daedone around for personal matters, such as tanning sessions, getting coffee, and going to hair appointments. Max said that when Daedone, who resided in the Bay Area, came to visit the New York office, he and others were forced to clean her room because it was considered an honor to take care of her, the outlet reported.

"There were times when Nicole had sex in that room and I would be cleaning up, like, used condoms," he testified.

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office, Michael Driscoll, said in a 2023 DOJ press release: "The defendants advertised their company as being able to help individuals recover from past trauma. In reality, they allegedly targeted their victims in order to manipulate them not only into debt but to limit their independence and create a reliance on OneTaste for basic needs. The FBI will continue to ensure that anyone willing to engage in a forced labor schemes are held accountable in the criminal justice system."

If found guilty, the pair faces up to a maximum of 20 years in prison.