OneTaste Founder Nicole Daedone Gets Nine Years in Federal Prison and $12 Million Forfeiture for Forced-Labor Conspiracy
Nicole Daedone, founder of sexual-wellness company OneTaste, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison by Judge Diane Gujarati and ordered to forfeit $12 million and pay roughly $890,000 in restitution to seven victims for her role in a forced-labor conspiracy. The judge criticized Daedone’s lack of remorse, U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella called the scheme coercion disguised as wellness, co-defendant Rachel Cherwitz received a 6½-year sentence, supporters including Van Jones and Richard Schiff urged leniency, and attorney Alan Dershowitz said he will seek a presidential pardon.
📌 Key Facts
- Nicole Daedone, founder of OneTaste, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison after conviction in a forced‑labor conspiracy.
- Judge Diane Gujarati ordered Daedone to forfeit $12 million and to pay roughly $890,000 in restitution to seven victims.
- Co‑defendant Rachel Cherwitz was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for her role in the scheme.
- The judge criticized Daedone's lack of remorse at sentencing, saying what she did was "criminal," not enlightenment.
- U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella said the conduct amounted to coercion disguised as wellness or empowerment.
- Defense sentencing letters from Van Jones and actor Richard Schiff urged leniency and praised Daedone's character.
- Prominent attorney Alan Dershowitz said he will seek a presidential pardon from Donald Trump for Daedone and Cherwitz.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2022, Black individuals comprised approximately 39% of reported victims of commercial sex acts in the United States, while making up about 13.6% of the U.S. population.
Human Trafficking Incidents Reported by Law Enforcement, 2022 — Bureau of Justice Statistics
Approximately 64% of identified U.S. citizen survivors of sex trafficking reported a history of child sexual abuse.
Sex Trafficking in the U.S.: A Closer Look at U.S. Citizen Victims — Polaris Project
Women and girls constitute about 71% of all identified human trafficking victims in the U.S., with even higher proportions in sex trafficking cases.
National Statistics — National Human Trafficking Hotline
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Judge Diane Gujarati ordered Nicole Daedone to forfeit $12 million and to pay roughly $890,000 in restitution to seven victims.
- U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella explicitly framed the conduct as coercion disguised as wellness or empowerment in a formal statement.
- The judge criticized Daedone's lack of remorse at sentencing, saying what she did was 'criminal,' not enlightenment.
- Defense sentencing letters of support came from Van Jones and actor Richard Schiff, both urging leniency and praising Daedone’s character.
- Prominent attorney Alan Dershowitz has said he will seek a presidential pardon from Donald Trump for Daedone and co-defendant Rachel Cherwitz.
- Co-defendant Rachel Cherwitz was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for her role in the scheme.