Two former leaders of an “orgasm meditation cult” are seeking to have sex trafficking charges dismissed for a second time in a shocking court battle in Brooklyn.
Lawyers for OneTaste executives, Rachel Charwitz and Nicole Deidon, argued that the charges should be dropped because FBI agents in charge of the investigation ordered key witnesses to destroy evidence that could have been beneficial to their defense.
“The government is trying to criminalize sex,” Charwitz’s lawyer, Duncan Levin, told reporters outside the federal courthouse.
“It’s not their job to get creative and think about how they can put someone in jail for fun,” he added.
According to a federal indictment, the women are accused of using cult-like tactics to coerce volunteers, contractors and employees into sex acts.
According to documents seen by DailyMail.com, FBI agent Elliot McGinnis advised former OneTaste employee Ireese Blank to delete her email account during an investigation into the group.
The defense argues that emails from that account may have contained information that would support Blank’s claims that he was mistreated while working at OneTaste.
Blank is a Netflix documentary, One Taste “He coerced and manipulated her into participating in sexual acts and orgasmic meditation with OneTaste staff, supervisors and customers.”
OneTaste denies this and has filed a counterclaim against Netflix, alleging that the company made “completely false” accusations, and against Blank, alleging that he violated a $325,000 settlement by speaking with the streaming service.
Netflix first aired Orgasm, Inc.: A One Taste Story in 2022, five months before Deidon and Cherwitz were indicted on charges they allegedly forced women into sex acts, charges they deny.
Now, lawyers for Messrs. Deidon and Charwitz allege that the deleted email accounts may have also contained details of Blank’s diary, on which the documentary is based.
The lawyers said the emails may also contain further conversations between Blank, the FBI and officials from the Orgasmic Meditation Cult.
“The FBI’s advice to a material witness to delete emails constitutes a serious violation of rules and will result in an unfair trial,” their letter argues.
“It is essential to the integrity of the judicial process that all relevant evidence be preserved and available for review.”
“The destruction of evidence, especially when done on the advice of federal investigators, is a direct affront to the principles of fairness and transparency that underpin our nation’s legal system.”
According to the letter, Blank and McGinnis exchanged emails in which Blank asked federal agents “whether he should disband and cancel his old email accounts.”
The exchange began after she received messages from two other people, allegedly employees of OneTaste.
McGinnis told Blank that the emails served no purpose “other than to cause fear” and that he should delete the account.
Deidon and Cherwitz were beaming Wednesday as they appeared in Brooklyn court to add this latest argument to their ongoing lawsuit seeking to have the case dismissed.
The two women, who coordinated high heels with beige business blazers and skirts, stopped outside the courthouse to smile at onlookers and share hugs.
The government has until Aug. 14 to respond to the new allegations in the motion to dismiss, and a hearing to argue the FBI’s case is scheduled for later this year.
Blank became involved with One Taste in 2012 and was “positive” about the relationship until he and his partner split in 2014.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, focuses on the final 15 minutes of the documentary, in which Blank discusses the “sexual violence” he experienced that was “condoned” by the company.
In new court documents, lawyers for both women allege that McGinnis also had a “direct involvement” in the Netflix show.
In the documentary, the witness can be seen writing his name on a notepad before speaking on the phone.
The letter continues: “Agent McGinnis appears to have been heavily involved in public relations efforts for this case even before the indictment was filed, calling into question both his objectivity and judgment.”
Two other witnesses interviewed by McGinnis also said they were “coerced and pressured” by him to come forward as victims in the incident.
Mr. Cherwitz and Mr. Deidon each argued that prosecutors used privileged documents to tailor the charges in the indictment.
Deidon’s lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, said in a statement that the investigation “has been corrupt from the start and was led by corrupt FBI agents who repeatedly published scandalous tabloid accusations they knew were false and who thought their investigation was sound by instructing government witnesses to destroy potentially exculpatory evidence.”
“The government is seeking to punish my client for her thoughts and beliefs, not for the crimes she committed. But our criminal justice system is not meant to work that way,” she added.
In May, Judge Gujarati denied a motion by Chelwitz and Dedon to dismiss the case, rejecting arguments by their defense that the indictment was legally flawed.
The FBI launched an investigation in 2018 after former customers came forward saying they were left in debt after paying high tuition fees and after former employees said they were told to have sexual relations with potential clients to close sales.
Prosecutors say that between 2004 and 2018, Deidon and Chelwitz deployed a series of abusive and manipulative tactics to obtain the labor and services of OneTaste members, including volunteers, contractors and employees.
According to the indictment, the two men used tactics designed to make OneTaste members dependent on the group for housing and basic necessities and to limit their independence and self-control.
OneTaste members were allegedly held in “living warehouses” and forced to perform sex acts.
The alleged victims were subjected to “constant surveillance” and isolated from friends and family.
When members were unable to attend OneTaste classes, they were pressured into borrowing money, and sometimes Deidon and Cherwitz would help them open new credit cards, according to the indictment.
Both Deidon and Cherwitz have pleaded not guilty to the charges and are free on $1 million and $300,000 bail, respectively.
OneTaste’s current management has stated that it supports the defendants.
While Chellwitz still works for the company, Deidon has taken a step back since being indicted last year.
