Biased Investigation
From history to the headlines, women who openly express their sexuality have been marginalized, vilified, and punished. This bias fuels a dangerous narrative—one that weaponizes sexuality to control, suppress, and discredit women who challenge societal norms.
The case of OneTaste is no exception. The investigation and prosecution have been shaped by this enduring prejudice, amplified by sensational media coverage and an overzealous government response. What began as a small, unconventional company promoting sexual wellness became a six-year saga riddled with misconduct, false evidence, and the exploitation of cultural fears around sex.
“In nearby Massachusetts Bay, the government disliked the practices of women who used rituals not entirely dissimilar to OM. The Salem witch trials began in 1692. After a splendid year-long 100 percent conviction rate and the execution of 20 witches, juries decided the court of Oyer and Terminer had gone a little too far. They nullified the witchcraft law with consecutive hung juries and acquittals.” Investigator Frank Parlato
This isn’t just about OneTaste. It’s about how women’s sexual expression is treated as a threat—and how power structures exploit that fear to dismantle revolutionary ideas and the individuals behind them.
The Never Ending Investigation
In November 2018, just months after a sensational Bloomberg Businessweek article leveled allegations against OneTaste, the FBI launched an investigation into the company. A follow-up Bloomberg article, citing anonymous “credible sources,” confirmed the probe.
The investigation, led by the same FBI agent for five years, became an extraordinary ordeal. Most federal investigations conclude within a year, yet the OneTaste probe dragged on, fueled by vague accusations and a lack of substantive evidence. Despite OneTaste’s full cooperation—including over 200 data disclosures and repeated offers to meet with prosecutors to clarify misunderstandings—the government failed to substantiate the initial sex trafficking allegations it had sought to pin on the company.
Over those five years, lawyers for OneTaste reached out to prosecutors at least seven times, seeking clarity and offering transparency to address any concerns. Their requests to understand the scope of the investigation and resolve the matter went largely unanswered. In some cases, prosecutors failed to respond for 12 months or more.
The lack of communication paralyzed the company. Its resources were drained as it shifted from serving 35,000 satisfied customers to mounting a defense against a nebulous investigation. The media frenzy surrounding the case, coupled with the confirmed FBI probe, destroyed OneTaste’s reputation, causing customers to walk away.
Prosecutors remained vague and, at times, misleading. In one instance, four years into the investigation, a prosecutor told OneTaste’s legal team to “look to the media” to understand what the government was investigating. In another, they falsely claimed alignment with OneTaste in “seeking to wind down” the investigation, requesting additional voluntary documents to purportedly “bring this to a close.”
This lack of transparency and accountability transformed what should have been a straightforward inquiry into a drawn-out campaign of reputational and financial destruction, with no resolution in sight.
Elliot McGinnis:The FBI Agent at Center of Misconduct Allegations
Although the exact origin of the OneTaste investigation is unknown, the earliest documents and records of interviews reveal that the lead case agent, FBI Special Agent Elliot McGinnis, began his investigation about two months after a June 18, 2018 article about OneTaste, titled “The Dark Side of the Orgasmic Meditation Company,” was published in Bloomberg Business Week.” Frank Report
Prior to his involvement in the OneTaste case McGinnis resigned from the NYPD after police brutality allegations, and is at the center of evidence tampering allegations used to secure the Keith Raniere conviction in 2019.
Victim Shopping
April 2021 FBI Agent Elliot McGinnis and Colleen Sheehan arrive unannounced at the home of the mother of former OneTaste staff Alisha Price for an interview. They declare Price has to interview or local authorities will arrest her and take her to New York to be questioned
Price retains attorney Neil Glazer of firm Kohn, Swift & Graf, P.C. to represent her in the investigation with instruction she does not want to participate in the investigation and that she saw nothing illegal happen
Glazer tells Price to not to worry about her retainer. Glazer would sue Daedone following a successful criminal conviction and both he and Price would get financial reward
September 13, 2022 Price fires Glazer
June 6, 2024 Glazer’s firm, Cohn Swift files a class action lawsuit against OneTaste leadership
July 8, 2024 Price sues Glazer, and firm Kohn, Swift & Graf, P.C., for legal malpractice, fraud, and breach of contract, among other things. The lawsuit alleges:
"the Attorney Defendants operated a crime-victims mill for personal profit. Instead of seeking the truth and protecting their clients’ interests, they collaborated with the FBI at the taxpayers' expense."
"Rather than professionally advise and protect Plaintiff, the Defendants, jointly and severally, assisted the FBI in building its criminal case by manipulating, bullying, and harassing her."
August 2024 Neil Glazer goes on “on extended leave from private practice to focus on public policy work.” Glazer was removed from his law firm's website and staff directory
Glazer previously represented multiple parties in a lawsuit against NXIVM and it’s staff following the successful conviction of NXIVM members
The Arrest
In a striking display of force, federal authorities carried out the arrest of Nicole Daedone and Rachel Cherwitz with an intensity that seemed more suited to a high-profile crime syndicate than two women with no prior criminal records. Helicopters circled above, and tactical vehicles with two dozen agents armed with assault rifles descended on the property associated with OneTaste in a coordinated raid that appeared designed to intimidate rather than serve justice.
Nicole Daedone, a respected leader with a clean record, was treated as though she posed an imminent threat to society. Her bail was set at $1 million—an amount five times higher than what was required of former President Donald Trump in his Georgia election interference case. The justification for this excessive bail? The government claimed Daedone was a “continuing danger to the community” because she had recently participated in private demonstrations of Orgasmic Meditation, a legal and consensual practice.
The contrast between the allegations and the government’s actions was stark. The charges stemmed from a single unprecedented count of conspiracy to commit forced labor, with no accompanying substantive crimes. This deviation from legal precedent further underscored the performative nature of the arrest and its underlying bias against OneTaste’s unconventional mission.
“In the past, no US Attorney ever charged conspiracy to commit forced labor (18 U.S.C. § 1594) by itself. Every indictment that ever indicted anyone that contained the charge of violating 18 U.S.C. § 1594 forced labor conspiracy also included the charge of forced labor (18 U.S.C. § 1589) or, in one instance, sex trafficking (18 U.S.C. § 1591).” Frank Report
What should have been a straightforward legal proceeding became a public spectacle, raising serious concerns about the motivations behind the government’s approach and the lengths it was willing to go to sustain a case built on shaky foundations.
Freezing Money
In a shocking display of misconduct, an FBI agent involved in the OneTaste investigation reportedly lied to secure the seizure of funds from a trust belonging to Nicole Daedone’s elderly mother, Beverly Daedone. The trust, a personal financial asset unrelated to the case, was targeted under the guise of furthering the investigation.
The agent provided false statements in a seizure warrant application, effectively misrepresenting the trust’s connection to the alleged crimes. This blatant overreach not only violated Beverly Daedone’s rights but also raised critical questions about the ethical conduct of the investigation.
This misuse of authority highlights a troubling pattern within the case: a willingness to bend rules and fabricate connections to justify the government’s relentless pursuit of Nicole Daedone and OneTaste. Such actions erode public trust in the justice system and emphasize the need for accountability and oversight in cases of this magnitude. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Continue to read about the Fabricated Evidence and FBI Misconduct at the center of the prosecution.