A company convicted in federal court of running what prosecutors labeled a “sex cult” is now lobbying President Trump’s inner circle for pardons, deploying high-profile lawyers to free its imprisoned leaders while simultaneously rebranding with artificial intelligence and virtual reality technology.
Story Snapshot
- OneTaste founders Nicole Daedone and Rachel Cherwitz were convicted in 2025 on federal forced labor conspiracy charges, with Daedone receiving a nine-year prison sentence
- Attorney Alan Dershowitz is actively lobbying the Trump administration for pardons while the company operates under new names using AI-generated images of its incarcerated leaders
- Federal prosecutors described OneTaste as a sex cult where members performed unpaid labor and sexual acts were arranged for wealthy investors
- The company has rebranded as “Eros Platform” and “Team Nicole,” continuing to promote orgasmic meditation events despite convictions
- A federal judge criticized Daedone’s complete lack of remorse during sentencing, highlighting the severity of exploitation inflicted on victims
From Wellness Brand to Federal Conviction
OneTaste began in 2004 when Nicole Daedone co-founded the San Francisco organization to promote “orgasmic meditation,” a practice involving structured genital stroking marketed as wellness therapy. The company evolved into something far darker than its glossy branding suggested. Federal prosecutors built a case showing Daedone enriched herself through a scheme involving unpaid labor, systematic abuse, indoctrination, and intimidation of members who lived in communal settings under constant surveillance. Former Chief Technology Officer Christopher Hubbard testified at trial, describing OneTaste as a “sex cult” where he arranged BDSM encounters between executives and wealthy investors like Reese Jones of Singularity University.
The Conviction That Should Have Ended Everything
On June 9, 2025, a federal jury convicted both Daedone and Rachel Cherwitz on forced labor conspiracy charges. Cherwitz earned the designation of “enforcer” from prosecutors who documented her role in coercing members into unpaid work and compliance with the organization’s demands. The sentencing judge delivered a scathing rebuke of Daedone, specifically criticizing her complete absence of remorse for the harm inflicted on victims. The nine-year prison sentence reflected the severity of the forced labor scheme and the psychological manipulation employed to control members. These convictions should have dismantled OneTaste permanently, yet the organization persists through technological workarounds.
"How a company likened to a sex cult is lobbying Trump for pardons" – CBS News #SmartNews https://t.co/TFTocYU5dV
— Sweet Tea (@LaurenSexyGirl) April 29, 2026
Digital Resurrection Through AI and Virtual Reality
By March 2026, OneTaste had rebranded itself as “Eros Platform” and “Team Nicole,” continuing operations despite its leaders sitting in federal prison. The rebranded entities use virtual reality, computer-generated imagery, and artificial intelligence to create digital representations of Daedone and Cherwitz, promoting orgasmic meditation events through social media platforms. This technological approach allows the organization to maintain its brand identity and continue recruiting while technically operating without its convicted founders physically present. The use of AI-generated likenesses of imprisoned cult leaders represents an unprecedented evolution in how convicted organizations evade restrictions and maintain influence over followers.
The High-Profile Pardon Campaign
Attorney Jennifer Bonjean told The New York Times she would “exhaust all avenues” and expressed hope the Trump administration would review the case. Alan Dershowitz confirmed to NBC News that he is actively lobbying Trump’s inner circle for pardons. The timing proves strategic given the Trump administration’s public focus on human trafficking issues, creating an apparent contradiction between anti-trafficking rhetoric and consideration of pardons for convicted forced labor conspirators. This lobbying effort mirrors previous controversial clemency considerations for figures like NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere. The approach reveals how well-connected attorneys can leverage political relationships to pursue clemency for clients whose crimes involved sexual exploitation and forced labor.
The Troubling Precedent and Victim Impact
Granting pardons to OneTaste leaders would establish dangerous precedent for cult-like organizations seeking political clemency through influential attorneys. Former members who testified about economic, sexual, emotional, and psychological abuse face potential retraumatization if their abusers receive executive clemency. The wellness and orgasmic meditation communities remain divided, with the convictions reinforcing a “sex cult” stigma on alternative sexuality practices while simultaneously exposing legitimate labor abuse within communes operating under wellness branding. The judge’s sentencing remarks emphasized Daedone’s lack of remorse, suggesting rehabilitation appears unlikely. Common sense dictates that individuals convicted of systematic exploitation through forced labor and sexual coercion should serve their sentences fully, regardless of their attorneys’ political connections or lobbying prowess.
Sources:
How a company likened to a sex cult is lobbying Trump for pardons – CBS News
