“Orgasm meditation”: High-Profile trial of OneTaste Startup founders begins in the US

A federal court has begun hearing testimony from former employees of the California-based startup OneTaste, which promoted “sexual enlightenment” and the practice known as “orgasmic meditation.” However, according to witnesses, behind this facade of spiritual practices lay forced sex, round-the-clock control, and exploitation of staff, reports the Daily Mail.

OneTaste founder Nicole Deadon (57) and former head of sales Rachel Cherwitz (44) are accused of conspiring to use forced labor. Prosecutors allege that from 2006 to 2018, the women orchestrated a company system in which employees were compelled to work without pay and engage in sexual relations with investors and clients.

A key witness, known by the pseudonym Max, testified that during a meeting at the New York office, Cherwitz sent two employees out to have sex in order to “defuse sexual tension” between them. Max also stated that the partner of one of the employees suffered a nervous breakdown while waiting for their return.

Max further testified that:

• Employees were required to be on call 24/7 and respond to work messages at all times;

• Time off, sick leave, and vacations were effectively prohibited;

• Cleaning Nicole Deadon’s room, including “disposal of used condoms,” was the staff’s responsibility;

• Complaints about unpaid wages were ignored until escalated to management.

Another witness, a woman who went by the pseudonym Dana, stated she was forced to engage in BDSM activities with one of the company’s investors, Reese Jones. She allegedly lived with him for about three months, regularly had sex with him, and considered it “part of her job.”

The court also heard that many OneTaste employees lived together, shared beds, and participated in daily “orgasm meditations,” during which one person “methodically stimulated a woman’s genitals for 15 minutes.”

Although Dana was not officially on staff, she worked closely with Deadon and other executives. She revealed that she paid $30,000 for her training at the company, partially funded through sex work arranged by another OneTaste member.

The company came under scrutiny in 2022 following the Netflix documentary Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste, in which former employees revealed the project’s dark side. Five months after the documentary’s release, charges were filed against Deadon and Cherwitz.

Both defendants deny the allegations. The trial is ongoing.