A controversial organization promoting “orgasmic meditation” has lost its legal battle with Netflix. OneTaste founder Nicole Deidon and sales director Rachel Cherwitz are facing criminal charges in New York for forced labor.
Last week, a Los Angeles judge ruled against Netflix, finding it did not act in bad faith when it released a popular documentary exposing its practices.
Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste, released in 2022, comes four years after the FBI began investigating the group. Former members say the program operated like a cult, luring them with promises of spiritual growth, then trapping them into expensive courses that led to sexual and psychological abuse. he claimed.
Once renowned as a wellness guru, Deidon faced intense scrutiny after a 2018 Bloomberg Businessweek article detailed “disgusting” practices, including “sexual servitude.” did.
The FBI launched an investigation later that year, Express US reported.
In a June 2022 indictment, federal prosecutors accused Deidon and Cherwitz of targeting traumatized individuals and inducing them into “orgasmic meditation.”
This mindfulness exercise involves prolonged clitoral stimulation, which Deidon claimed could lead to mental breakthroughs. However, many participants felt that this practice was anything but liberating.
Former members said they were forced to take part in “demonstrations” in which they stripped and groped strangers for potential clients. They also claim to have performed important work for the organization without receiving compensation.
Prosecutors said some lived in congregate settings, where they were monitored and isolated from loved ones.
“It’s not a noble goal or principle. [Daedone] Talking in her video. She wants followers. “She always wanted to be a guru and have people pay attention to her every word,” said a former member who spoke to our team on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. “I think that’s her motive,” he said.
Last year, OneTaste filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix, claiming that allegations of sexual misconduct made in the film by the sister of a former employee were “completely false.”
In a ruling handed down on April 29, Judge Holly Fujier ruled that OneTaste could not prove this. Additionally, the judgment dismissed all claims by the defunct company.
Judge Fujie stated, “The evidence submitted by the plaintiffs consists of hearsay statements provided as to the truth of the matters alleged, irrelevant statements unrelated to the issue at hand, and other proceedings unrelated to the present case.” “There is,” he said.
Netflix sought to dismiss the lawsuit under California’s anti-SLAPP law, which is intended to block frivolous lawsuits that can stifle free speech.
In legal documents, Netflix said OneTaste’s legal team added more controversial statements to OneTaste’s lawsuit, including Deidon’s complimentary comments about “rabbi friends” and “yogis.” I blamed him for what he had done. All of their students. ”
Netflix has now filed a motion against OneTaste stating its intention to seek reimbursement of its legal fees.
The group, which has been accused of being a cult, has already spent millions on legal battles and managing its public image. They have enlisted the help of crisis management expert Judah Engelmayer. Mr. Engelmayer’s past clients include Harvey Weinstein and notorious pseudo-socialite Anna Sorokin.
Engelmayer told the Daily Express: “The first anti-SLAPP ruling in the OneTaste defamation case against Netflix was not unexpected. We are confident in the law and facts and intend to prevail on appeal.” Stated.
He continued: “Netflix’s ‘True Crime’ movies did not involve any crime.”
The validity of their claims will be determined by a New York judge, but if convicted of the charges against Deidon and Cherwitz, they each could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. . Meanwhile, the company rebranded itself as The Institute of Om.
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