She called it 'orgasm meditation'. The court called it a decade-long sex trafficking operation.

Two high-profile women at the centre of an 'orgasm cult' have been convicted on harrowing charges.

The trial of Nicole Daedone, founder of OneTaste Inc. and Rachel Cherwitz, the company's former head of sales, has come to an end with both women being convicted of federal forced labour charges.

Before the controversy, Gwyneth Paltrow was a prominent supporter of Daedone and OneTaste's philosophy. She described Daedone as "magnetic" and featured her on the Goop podcast, with Goop's website also promoting OneTaste's practices.

Gwyneth Paltrow at a Goop event. Image: Getty.

The case, held in Brooklyn, made revelations about the inner workings of a company that once promised sexual empowerment but was ultimately exposed as an abusive and exploitative operation.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for New York's Eastern District, after a five-week trial, a jury found Nicole Daedone and Rachel Cherwitz guilty of orchestrating a forced labour scheme that pressured vulnerable workers — many of whom were survivors of sexual trauma — into performing humiliating sexual acts and gruelling manual labour for little or no pay.

Daedone's legal team maintained her innocence, portraying her as a "ceiling-shattering feminist entrepreneur," and announced plans to appeal the verdict. Cherwitz's attorney argued that the participants were not forced and had chosen to be involved, but the jury was not persuaded.

Listen to The Quicky discuss the fall of OneTaste's wellness empire. Post continues below.

The jury deliberated for less than two days before reaching their verdict. Both women now face up to 20 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for September.

This isn't the first time OneTaste has made headlines. In November 2022, Netflix released Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste, a documentary that delved into the rise and fall of the controversial sexual wellness company.

Watch the trailer. Post continues after video.

What was OneTaste?

OneTaste Inc. was founded in San Francisco in 2004 by Nicole Daedone.

The company marketed itself as a sexual wellness and empowerment organisation, with its signature practice being "orgasmic meditation".

OM involved a clothed, usually male, "stroker" manually stimulating a female participant's clitoris for 15 minutes, with the practice framed as a form of mindfulness and emotional connection.

OneTaste claimed to bridge the gap in sexual fulfilment between men and women, drawing on Buddhist philosophies and wellness culture.

At its peak, OneTaste operated in multiple cities across the US and internationally, offering workshops, retreats, coaching programs, and memberships, with some courses costing up to $60,000 per year.

The company generated millions in revenue and attracted media coverage, celebrity endorsements and a devoted following.

OneTaste since rebranded as Eros Platform.

What were the allegations against OneTaste?

Despite its promises of empowerment, OneTaste was accused of running what prosecutors described as a cult-like enterprise.

The company allegedly manipulated and coerced members — many of whom were vulnerable or had a history of trauma — into performing unpaid labour and engaging in sexual acts they found uncomfortable or repulsive.

Employees were allegedly forced to have sex with potential investors or clients as part of their job, and those who resisted were subjected to intimidation, indoctrination and threats of ostracism.

Nicole Daedone, the founder of OneTaste Inc. Image: Getty.

Yahoo News! reports that Becky*, an alleged victim of the so-called "orgasm cult" whose full name was withheld, took the stand to share her story.

As a then-23-year-old employee, she alleged she made just $2,000 a month, and was expected to engage in orgasmic meditation (OM) with OneTaste members and potential clients.

"The expectation was I would be open to OMing with anybody off the street," she testified.

"I had to be turned on at all times… It was really frowned upon to say you weren't in the mood."

Becky described the exhaustive OM lessons, where there would be a one-on-one session with a "stroker" and a "strokee," with one person stimulating her genitals for 15 minutes.

She quit the group in 2014 when she was 27, and admits the experience left her traumatised, and she spent years working on issues with sex and relationships in therapy.

"I came in with very little in savings and I left with absolutely nothing," Becky testified.

Financial exploitation was rampant, with members pressured to take out credit cards or loans to pay for expensive courses and memberships, often leading to bankruptcy and financial ruin.

The company withheld promised earnings and used psychological manipulation to maintain control over its community.

The FBI launched an investigation into OneTaste in 2018 following media exposés and numerous complaints, ultimately leading to the forced labour charges and the criminal trial.

During the trial, assistant U.S. Attorney Nina Gupta described the business as being "built on the backs" of victims who "gave everything" to the defendants, including "their money, their time, their bodies, their dignity, and ultimately their sanity".

U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella commented that the verdict "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 labour and services for the defendants' benefit".

What is Gwyneth Paltrow's connection to OneTaste?

Gwyneth Paltrow, the actress and wellness entrepreneur, was one of several celebrities who publicly endorsed OneTaste and its founder, Nicole Daedone.

Paltrow's Goop website featured OneTaste, and she interviewed Daedone on her Goop podcast, helping to legitimise the company's credibility in the wellness space.

Khloé Kardashian also promoted Daedone's book and the practice of orgasmic meditation.

These celebrity endorsements boosted OneTaste's mainstream appeal.

Both Paltrow and Kardashian have since distanced themselves from the company following the disturbing allegations.

Feature image: Netflix/Getty.