She Preached 'Orgasmic Meditation' — Now She’s Guilty of Forcing Employees Into Sex Acts

After a four-week trial, the jury delivered its verdict in the case against the founder and former head of sales of OneTaste, a company that promoted the practice of orgasmic meditation.

Founder Nicole Daedone, 57, and former head of sales Rachel Cherwitz, 44, were found guilty on a charge of forced labor conspiracy, a little over two years after being indicted on the charge in the Eastern District of New York.

“Under the guise of empowerment and wellness, the defendants are alleged to have sought complete control over their employees’ lives, including by driving them into debt and directing them to perform sexual acts while also withholding wages,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace in the indictment.

The charge stems from allegations made by former OneTaste employees who testified in court that they worked long hours for little to no pay while trying to sell the company’s “orgasmic meditation” workshops, which cost as much as $60,000, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.

These former employees also testified that they were expected to “OM” with each other on a daily basis, a practice in which a woman lies naked from the waist down on a bed of pillows as another individual stimulates the section of their genitalia containing the most nerve endings for 15 minutes.

Some female employees alleged in court that they were forced to OM with wealthy men in hopes that they would invest money in the company or purchase classes.

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Started by Daedone in 2004 in San Francisco, Calif., OneTaste’s aim was to help promote female empowerment by teaching women to focus on their own sexual pleasure. From 2004 through 2018, OneTaste “generated revenue by providing courses, coaching and events related to so-called wellness practices, in exchange for a fee,” per the indictment.

Daedone sold OneTaste in 2017 for $12 million. By that time, OneTaste had spread across the country with offices in New York City, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Austin and even overseas in London.

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A spokesman for the defense told PEOPLE in May, “This case never should have been brought. OneTaste was always about empowerment, consent, and healing.” He called the case “stitched together with sensationalism and retroactive reinterpretation of adult choices.”

Daedone and Cherwitz both entered a plea of not guilty to the charge and spent the past month sitting in a Brooklyn courtroom surrounded by supporters.

They had been expected to testify in the case, but the defense made the decision to call just one witness to the stand when the prosecution rested its case after three weeks of testimony.

In her closing arguments, Daedone’s attorney said that each of the former employees had free will and could have left the group at any time.

Daedone’s lawyer said throughout the trial that she planned to appeal if the jury returned with a guilty verdict.