Nicole Daedone, the founder and former CEO of the notorious “Orgasmic Meditation” group OneTaste, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison Monday, and former head of sales Rachel Cherwitz received six and a half years, following a jury conviction last June for forced labor conspiracy.

In addition to a nine-year prison sentence, former OneTaste CEO Nicole Daedone, 58, was also ordered to forfeit $12 million, with seven victims awarded roughly $890,000 in restitution, according to federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York, as the Associated Press reports. She did not speak at sentencing.

Prosecutors said that OneTaste, the once high-profile and cult-like San Francisco-based wellness brand known for its “orgasmic meditation” gatherings throughout the US and internationally, built its following through coercion and psychological manipulation, according to the Chronicle.

SFist reported last year that during the monthlong trial, prosecutors said Daedone and Cherwitz cultivated a system that targeted vulnerable followers, including people with histories of sexual trauma, and pushed them into unpaid labor and sexual acts. Per the AP, Daedone and Cherwitz told followers these practices would enable members to reach "freedom" and "enlightenment" as a symbol of their commitment to the company's principles.

Testimony described a mix of financial pressure, isolation, and intimidation, with members urged to take on debt for courses, while being discouraged from leaving.

“Coercion disguised as wellness or empowerment is still exploitation and it is a crime that causes harm to vulnerable victims,” said Joseph Nocella, the US attorney for the Eastern District of New York, in a statement.

Former employees described a workplace where sexual boundaries were blurred, including a communal residence where staff handled domestic tasks tied to Daedone’s personal life and were directed to carry out sadomasochistic sexual acts involving her partner, as previously reported. Some said they were directed to have sex with prospective investors or clients despite their objections.

“I fell into Nicole’s trap,” said one of the victims, who initially believed in Daedone’s purported feminist mission, per the Chronicle. “I was the perfect target.”

During the sentencing Monday, US District Judge Diane Gujarati noted that Daedone did not appear remorseful for the extensive harm she had caused.

“What she was doing wasn’t about enlightenment or operating in a different dimension,” said the judge. “It was criminal.”

Cherwitz was sentenced Monday to six and a half years in prison. Daedone’s attorneys said they planned to appeal, pointing to her lack of a prior criminal record and more than 200 letters submitted in support, per the AP.

"She has lived an uncommon and impactful life, and she is deeply respected by people from all walks of life, including many entirely unconnected to OneTaste," said the defense lawyers in a memo. "She is a prolific writer, teacher, and spiritual practitioner whose work has long focused on reducing suffering and fostering meaningful human connection."

OneTaste was founded in San Francisco in 2004, with Nicole Daedone drawing on Buddhist ideas and her own experience as a sex worker to shape teachings around “orgasmic meditation,” a structured partner practice performed in group settings. The company expanded internationally, with offices across the US and in London, and Daedone gained visibility through talks including a TED appearance.

Scrutiny followed years later, beginning with a 2013 Gawker article and a 2018 Bloomberg exposé that helped prompt a federal probe. The story was later revisited in the 2022 Netflix documentary Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste, ahead of federal indictments against Daedone and Rachel Cherwitz in June 2023.

In 2017, a year before the federal investigation launched, Daedone sold her stake in the company for $12 million, as the AP reports. The new owners, who rebranded the company as the Institute of OM Foundation, said the charges were unjustified and insisted the company does legitimate work.

Last June, US Attorney Nocella said in a statement, "The jury’s verdict has 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 labor and services for the defendants’ benefit."

Previously: Leaders of Cult-y 'Orgasmic Meditation' Group OneTaste Convicted In Forced Labor Trial

Top image: Nicole Daedone attends the 2024 Dream.Org "We, The Dream"  Inaugural Gala, celebrating justice and environmental champions, on  October 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty  Images for Dream.Org)