OneTaste (Nicole Daedone)
Sexuality-and-personal-growth company founded by Nicole Daedone (San Francisco, 2004) built around 'Orgasmic Meditation' (OM) — a 15-minute clitoral-stroking practice taught in $7k–$60k course packages. Federal forced-labor and prostitution charges 2023+; June 2024 conviction of Daedone and Rachel Cherwitz on conspiracy to commit forced labor.
CLCI radar
BITE breakdown
+1 for ongoing federal forced-labor and prostitution prosecution (2023+).
Profile facts
In context
OneTaste began in San Francisco's Folsom Street neighbourhood in 2004 and grew through the 2010s into a global company offering 'Orgasmic Meditation' courses, a coaching ladder, and a residential community whose senior tier lived together at company houses. The 2018 Bloomberg investigation 'The Dark Side of OneTaste' triggered the FBI inquiry; in June 2023 Nicole Daedone (founder) and Rachel Cherwitz (sales director) were federally indicted for conspiracy to commit forced labor (18 USC § 1589). The June 2024 Brooklyn jury convicted both on the principal count, in a precedent-setting application of the same federal forced-labor doctrine that had grounded the NXIVM prosecution. Trial evidence established a structured pattern in which staff were assigned sex acts with clients as part of their 'practice', credit-card debt was extracted to fund higher-tier courses, and exit was framed as a moral failure. Daedone faces up to 20 years; sentencing scheduled for late 2024. The company rebranded to 'Institute of OM Foundation' in 2017; both legal entities are now in liquidation. The Netflix documentary 'Orgasm Inc.: The Story of OneTaste' (Sept 2022) and the Bloomberg investigation are the canonical journalistic record; the indictment + trial transcripts are the primary legal record.
Recovery resources
- A Little Bit Culty (podcast and community) — Ex-coaching-cult survivor community; covers federal coercive-control prosecutions including OneTaste.
- Polaris Project — US anti-trafficking organisation; relevant given the federal forced-labor conviction (June 2024) of Daedone and Cherwitz.
- Reclamation Collective — Trauma-informed and coercive-control-aware therapist network; particularly relevant for the sexual-coercion and credit-card-debt-extraction dimensions of the OneTaste pattern.
- ICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) — General referral and cult-aware therapist directory.
- Freedom of Mind Resource Center — Steven Hassan's organisation; family-side guidance and BITE-model resources.
See the full curated list at /resources.
Notable public ex-members
- Ayries Blanck (key trial witness)
- Multiple 2018–2024 ex-staff complainants
Legal cases & controversies
- United States v. Daedone & Cherwitz (2023–2024)
Evidence by BITE axis
- June 2024 federal forced-labor conviction (Daedone + Cherwitz)
- Staff assigned sex acts with clients as 'practice'
- +1 for ongoing federal forced-labor and prostitution prosecution (2023+)
- $7k–$60k course pricing with credit-card debt extraction
- Exit framed as moral failure / 'leakage' from the community
- 2018 Bloomberg investigation triggered FBI inquiry
Timeline
- 2004OneTaste founded in San Francisco by Daedone
- 2017Rebrands as Institute of OM Foundation
- 2018Bloomberg investigation triggers FBI inquiry
- 2022Netflix documentary released
- 2023-06Federal forced-labor indictment
- 2024-06Daedone and Cherwitz convicted in Brooklyn
Sources
- United States v. Daedone & Cherwitz (E.D.N.Y., 2023–2024) search ↗
- Ellen Huet et al., 'The Dark Side of OneTaste' (Bloomberg, June 2018) search ↗
- Netflix, 'Orgasm Inc.: The Story of OneTaste' (Sept 2022) search ↗
- DOJ June 2023 indictment press release search ↗
- BBC News Brooklyn trial coverage (May–June 2024) search ↗
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. Where a source includes its own URL, the open ↗ link opens it directly; otherwise search ↗ runs a Google Scholar query for the cited title — useful for verifying academic sources. For news outlets, search the outlet's own archive.
Change history
Substantive edits logged per the score-updates policy.
- 2026-05-22Phase 1 Batch B: per-group recovery resources curated. 5 verified entries — A Little Bit Culty, Polaris Project, Reclamation Collective, ICSA, Freedom of Mind.
- 2026-05-20Source-density flags derived from existing free-text sources[]: court records, investigative journalism, official statements. Heuristic auto-flag; subsequent editorial pass will populate structuredSources[] with reliability tiers.
- 2026-05-20Score band scheme migrated from 4 bands to 5 (Minimal 0–5 / Low 6–12 / Moderate 13–20 / High 21–30 / Extreme 31–40). No CLCI value changed; the new Minimal band was carved out of the bottom of the previous Low band.
Relevant hubs
Curated entry points on CLCI Hub for situations connected to this group.
- Start herePick the reading path that matches your situation.
- PatternsDocumented control patterns with linked profiles.
- Financial controlCommon pattern in wellness, MLM, and coaching contexts.
- Online groupsMany wellness and coaching groups operate online-first.
- FamiliesHow families and close friends can engage with high-control members.
- RecoveryIf you have left or are preparing to leave.
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