Millionaire ‘orgasm yoga retreat’ boss forced women to perform sex acts on investors

A so-called expert in ‘orgasmic meditation’ has been jailed for nearly a decade after a court found her guilty of coercing women into performing sex acts on investors

The woman behind a controversial wellness retreat that encourages women to try ‘orgasmic meditation’ has been jailed for nine years. Nicole Daedone, 58, was found to have pressured women into performing sex acts on wealthy investors.

The American millionaire, whose company OneTaste encourages women to explore themselves sexually through a process called ‘orgasmic meditation’, was described in court using the business as a “trap” for young women to fall into.

A court heard her “so-called feminist mission” acting as a smokescreen for exploitation. Daedone, who once appeared on Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop Podcast, was also forced to pay back the $12 million (£9m) she received for selling her stake in the company in 2017. Her victims were awarded roughly $890,000 (£675,000) in restitution.

They had hoped the wellness boss would be jailed for as many as 20 years for forced labour conspiracy. Prosecutors argued that “scores of victims financially, emotionally and psychologically scarred”, stating that Daedone had exercised control through economic pressure, psychological manipulation, physical exhaustion and emotional degradation, leaving behind a trail of financial ruin and lasting trauma,”

They had hoped the wellness boss would be jailed for as many as 20 years for forced labour conspiracy. In US law, forced labour conspiracy is defined as an agreement to obtain someone’s labour through coercion or threats.

The judge presiding over the case described Daedone as not showing any remorse for her actions, labelling her a criminal. “What she was doing wasn’t about enlightenment or operating in a different dimension. It was criminal”, U.S. District Court Judge Diane Gujarati said, according to the New York Times.

Throughout the case, victims described the ways they had been coerced into performing sexual acts via OneTaste’s wellness retreats. One victim admitted they had fully believed in Daedone’s “so-called feminist mission” but had been “left with significant financial damages and emotional harm” following her treatment.

“In reality, I fell into Nicole’s trap. I was the perfect target”, she told Daily News. Daedone’s team of lawyers tried to argue that giving their client a long prison sentence would be “bonkers,” instead urging the court to impose a term of about two years.

They pointed to the fact that Daedone has no prior criminal history and showed letter submitted by 200 individuals to the court that praised her character, generosity, and positive influence.

In their sentencing memo, the defence wrote: “She has lived an uncommon and impactful life and is deeply respected by people from all walks of life, including many with no connection to OneTaste.” Daedone co-founded OneTaste in 2004 following a discovery her own “contemplative sexuality” after having sex with a Buddhist.

“I just broke open, and the feeling was pure and clean,” Ms. Daedone said. “In a strange way, I think at that moment I decided to live”, she revealed in an interview with the New York Times.

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