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Feds are 'criminalizing sex' in NYC case against alleged 'orgasm cult' OneTaste: lawyers

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The feds are “criminalizing sex” and looking to put people “in prison for funsies” by prosecuting the two glamorous leaders of embattled “sexual wellness” empire OneTaste, their lawyers claimed Wednesday.

“I would say the government is trying to criminalize sex. That is what this case is about, make no bones about it,” said Duncan Levin, who represents the company’s head of sales Rachel Cherwitz, after a hearing in Brooklyn federal court.

Cherwitz and the company’s founder Nicole Daedone are slated to head to trial in January 2025 on charges that they operated OneTaste like a cult by grooming members into having sex with investors and clients, while driving the members into debt. Both women have been charged with conspiracy to commit forced labor and face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

The pair were in court Wednesday for a hearing in which their lawyers argued that the case should be thrown out for what they claimed was “misconduct” by the feds, including an FBI agent allegedly ordering a key witness to delete her email account.

But prosecutors — calling the defense’s claims “baseless” and “speculative” — responded in court papers that the agent in question was simply trying to protect the witness from harassment she’d received from other OneTaste members, rather than destroy evidence.

Daedone and Cherwitz were flanked in court Wednesday by around a dozen followers of their California-based company, also known as the Institute of OM or Eros, which is currently offering its orgasm meditation classes out of a Harlem office, according to a spokesperson.

The “orgasmic meditation” treatment, in which a group of women have their genitals stroked methodically for 15 minutes, “is a transformative practice that heals maladies ranging from sexual dysfunction and trauma to depression and anxiety,” its website boasts.

Lawyers for Daedone and Cherwitz sounded off against the case again to reporters after the hour-long hearing, claiming that the feds charged the women using a unique interpretation of the “conspiracy to commit forced labor” law.

“This is just [the Eastern District of New York] trying to be creative, and the courts have said it’s not your job to be creative and see if you can put someone in prison for funsies and that’s really what they’re doing here,” said Jennifer Bonjean, who represents Daedone.

Bonjean, who is best known for defending Bill Cosby and R. Kelly on charges involving sexual misconduct, also claimed Wednesday that the feds are “targeting women, frankly, which is an interesting flip on the #MeToo,” despite the fact that prosecutors built their case on the word of at least one woman who told the FBI she was coerced into sexual acts.

The company has had a fall from grace since 2018, when more than 35,000 people attended their in-person events, they were endorsed by Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop website, and Daedone delivered a viral speech at a Tedx conference encouraging skeptical attendees to try out orgasmic meditation.

The company was also the subject of a 2022 Netflix documentary called “Orgasm Inc” that detailed some of the allegations that are part of the criminal case.

Judge Diane Gujarati didn’t take a position on the OneTaste legal team’s claims and set a July 17 deadline for the attorneys to formalize their arguments in a motion to dismiss the case.

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DOJ Reform on Collision Course: EDNY’s Netflix 'Evidence' and FBI Misconduct Under Scrutiny

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DOJ Reform on Collision Course: EDNY’s Netflix 'Evidence' and FBI Misconduct Under Scrutiny

Monday, February 24, 2025

As the Department of Justice undergoes a seismic shift under the Trump administration, prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) find themselves at the center of controversy over the prosecution of OneTaste co-founder Nicole Daedone and former sales leader Rachel Cherwitz. The case, which invokes human trafficking laws against meditation instructors, is emerging as a key test of the DOJ’s evolving priorities and its commitment to FBI reform.

The government’s attempt to introduce content from a Netflix documentary as trial evidence—journal entries created specifically for the streaming platform’s 2022 production—has already drawn scrutiny, particularly as the film predated the indictment by only a few months. With allegations of FBI misconduct also mounting, this prosecution may soon face the same intense DOJ oversight that recently rocked the Southern District of New York (SDNY).

Mounting Evidence of FBI Misconduct

A formal complaint filed with multiple federal oversight bodies by OneTaste’s legal team—led by former senior DOJ prosecutor Paul Pelletier—alleges a “pervasive pattern of prejudicial investigatory misconduct.” The 36-page document details allegations against FBI Special Agent Elliot McGinnis, including:

  • Participation in Netflix productions while investigating targets
  • Instructing witnesses to delete evidence
  • Using personal email accounts to evade oversight
  • Filing misleading affidavits
  • Suppressing Brady material
  • Illegally obtaining and utilizing attorney-client privileged materials

Despite defense motions for dismissal and requests for an evidentiary hearing into the FBI’s conduct, EDNY trial judge Diane Gujarati has thus far declined to intervene. However, with the expected confirmation of incoming FBI Director Kash Patel, this case could soon find itself under heightened scrutiny. Patel, whose nomination cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 13, has signaled a commitment to rooting out political bias within the bureau. Senator Chuck Grassley, in supporting Patel’s confirmation, characterized the FBI as being “badly infected with political decision-making” and emphasized the need for transparency and accountability.

The SDNY Shake-Up and Its Implications for EDNY

The upheaval in the SDNY provides a stark warning to EDNY prosecutors. On February 10, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove ordered SDNY to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, citing two primary concerns: improper interference with Adams’ 2025 reelection campaign and the diversion of prosecutorial resources away from violent crime and immigration violations.

This decision ignited a firestorm within SDNY, culminating in the resignation of Acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon after she appealed directly to Attorney General Pam Bondi. DOJ officials responded swiftly, accusing Sassoon of pursuing a “politically motivated prosecution” based on “aggressive” legal theories. The Adams case was subsequently reassigned to DOJ headquarters in Washington, D.C., and seven SDNY prosecutors were terminated in the fallout.

SDNY’s long-standing reputation for operating with relative independence—often referred to as the “Sovereign District of New York”—appears to be a thing of the past under the current DOJ. EDNY prosecutors, who have historically enjoyed similar autonomy, now face the prospect of increased oversight as they navigate this high-profile case.

The Human Trafficking Paradox

On February 5, Attorney General Bondi issued directives instructing federal prosecutors to focus on “the most serious, readily provable offenses,” emphasizing illegal immigration, transnational crime, and human trafficking. Yet, as this directive takes effect, EDNY prosecutors continue to invest significant resources in a novel, single-count forced labor conspiracy case against wellness educators under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). The government’s untested theory of “coercive control” as a form of trafficking has drawn criticism from legal experts, who argue that it blurs the distinction between social pressure and criminal coercion.

The case against OneTaste presents a paradox: at a time when the DOJ is pivoting towards dismantling actual human trafficking operations, EDNY’s six-year-long pursuit of this prosecution may soon come under question. The precedent set by the SDNY shake-up suggests that DOJ leadership is willing to intervene aggressively when a prosecution is deemed misaligned with national priorities.

A Trial Under Increasing Pressure

With jury selection set to begin on May 5, 2025, the ground beneath the OneTaste prosecution is shifting rapidly. Judge Gujarati’s refusal to schedule additional pre-trial conferences suggests confidence in the case, but the broader DOJ realignment paints a different picture.

The question now is not just whether this case will proceed to trial, but whether EDNY prosecutors will maintain their current course in the face of growing federal scrutiny. As the DOJ consolidates control over its regional offices and refocuses its priorities, EDNY must weigh its prosecutorial independence against the new realities taking shape in Washington. If SDNY’s recent upheaval serves as any indication, the days of unchecked autonomy for federal prosecutors in New York may be numbered.


  1. U.S. v. Cherwitz, et al., No. 23-cr-146 (DG) (E.D.N.Y.)
  2. https://natlawreview.com/article/netflix-content-becomes-federal-evidence-ednys-onetaste-prosecution-faces-scrutiny
  3. OIG complaint regarding FBI Agent Misconduct
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Trump Names Conservative Talk Show Host Dan Bongino As Deputy FBI Director

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Bisexuality is a near-universal experience in primates — humans included, research shows

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Which way does your sexuality swing?

The bisexual cohort — those who are sexually attracted to both men and women — is growing. A 2024 Gallup poll showed that 4.4% of American adults say they are bisexual, including 57.3% of those who already identify as LGBTQ+.

However, research has recently shown that bisexuality may be even more ubiquitous than we previously understood.

Dr. Jason Hodgson, an evolutionary geneticist at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, spoke to Daily Mail about his studies on the human “bisexual range,” claiming that people are rarely wholly heterosexual or homosexual — instead falling somewhere on a spectrum of sexuality.

“I predict that most people should actually be bisexual,” Hodson said.

“The genes that influence same-sex sexual behavior are probably just genes that influence general sociality, and people in the middle of the range of variation are probably better at all social relationships.”

“Therefore people who would engage in same-sex sexual behavior in some situations are probably also better at forming heterosexual relationships.”

Hodgson uses a simple numeric formula to illustrate his point: Everyone is placed in a 0 to 1 range, with 0 denoting heterosexuality and 1 indicating pure homosexuality.

“So, if a person had one homosexual experience and 99 heterosexual experiences their value would be 1/100 or 0.01 — just slightly in the bisexual range.”

It should also be noted that a sexual “experience” may come in the form of a true physical encounter with another person, but could also cover those who experience arousal at the mere sight or thought of another. Ergo, a person would not need to engage in both heterosexual and homosexual acts in real life to qualify as bisexual.

“I suspect most people would be slightly in the bisexual range if given the right social circumstances,” Hodgson said, adding that engaging in bisexual experiences is not the same as identifying as bisexual.

The anthropologist said this rule holds true of most primates, explaining how bisexuality plays an important social role. In a 2016 study, Hodgson discovered that bonobos are one of the few animal species that engage in regular same-sex sexual interactions, often even more than with opposite-sex.

“Bonobos are bisexual, and this is thought to contribute to group cohesion,” Hodgson wrote in the paper, published in the Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. “Bisexuality may be the norm, as those individuals involved in homosexual sex often also take part in reproductive sex.”

Hodgson also noted that “many, many genes” work together to determine human sexuality, meaning that sexual orientation is to some degree a heritable trait.

“Genes that influence same-sex sexual behavior are common, and most everyone has them to a lesser or greater degree,” he said.

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Erdogan’s Flip: How Turkiye and Azerbaijan Became Ukraine Allies | Geopolitical Monitor

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Western thinking of Turkish and Azerbaijani Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ilham Aliyev has been very wrong. Both countries are Ukraine’s strongest allies in the Greater Middle East, where Arab countries and Israel are sitting on the fence and trying to play both sides or hiding their heads in the sand. This is not the case with Turkiye and Azerbaijan.

Turkiye and Azerbaijan have a close military and political alliance drawn up after the 2020 Second Karabakh War. Both countries are critically disposed toward Russia and align with the pro-Western camp: Turkiye as a NATO member and Azerbaijan as a non-aligned country that has stayed away from Russian-led Eurasian integration projects.

Turkiye is home to millions of Crimean Tatars who moved to the Ottoman Empire in the nineteenth century. Their Crimean homeland was occupied by the Russian Empire in 1783 which changed its ethnic balance. Crimean Tatars, who closely follow developments in Russian-occupied Crimea, where racism, Islamophobia, and political repression is endemic, are a powerful anti-Russian lobby in Turkiye.

Iran meanwhile has become Russia’s staunchest ally in the Kremlin’s fight against the US-dominated unipolar world and its replacement by an allegedly more ‘democratic’ multipolar world. Iran is constructing a facility to build Shaheed drones in Russia, while Turkiye is building a plant to build Bayraktar drones in Ukraine.

Western governments have wrongly portrayed President Erdogan as being in bed with Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, and were therefore wrong-footed by his recent steps. In the space of a week, Erdogan released Ukrainian POWs from the Spring 2022 battle for the port of Mariupol, infuriating the Kremlin because they had been released from Russian captivity on the basis that they would spend the entirety of the war in Turkiye.

But Erdogan went even further. On the eve of the recent NATO summit, Erdogan extended strong support to Ukraine becoming a member of NATO. Turkiye’s support infuriated the Kremlin who has expressed strong opposition to Ukraine joining NATO and the EU because this would definitively end any possibility of bringing the country into the Russian World.

In addition to 35 Bayraktar TB2 and 24 Mini-Bayraktar reconnaissance drones, Turkiye is sending other types of military equipment to Ukraine. Before the US announcement, Turkiye said it would supply Ukraine with cluster munitions. Turkiye sent up to 200 TRLG-230 Rokestan missiles to Ukraine that can be fired from multiple rocket launchers and have a range of 20 to 70 kilometers. Turkiye also sent 200 Kirpi mine-resistant armoured personnel carriers and 20 COBRA II 4×4 Tactical Wheeled Armoured Vehicles.

During the same week of NATO’s summit in Vilnius, Turkiye said it’s navy would escort Ukrainian grain ships through the Black Sea. Turkiye’s offer will be tested later this month after Russia refused to extend the UN-Turkish brokered grain deal beyond July 17. Turkiye’s battle of wills with Russia will impact the Kremlin’s arrogant view of the Black Sea constituting a ‘Russian lake.’

Azerbaijan’s strategic importance to Ukraine is six-fold. Firstly, Azerbaijan is the only south Caucasian state that has successfully resisted Russian control over its affairs. With three Russian military bases, Armenia is a long-time ally of Russia since the early 1990s and is a member of all Russian-led integration projects in Eurasia. Georgia has been captured by Georgian-Russian oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili who has put former President Mikhail Saakashvili, a long-time opponent of Putin, in jail on trumped up charges.

Secondly, Azerbaijan is alone in the south Caucasus in not breaking Western sanctions against Russia. Armenia and Georgia are actively involved in sanctions busting both due to high-level corruption and because the Kremlin has influence over the ruling elites of both countries.

Thirdly, Armenia and Georgia, but not Azerbaijan, are disseminating the Kremlin’s talking points justifying Russia’s so-called ‘special military operation’ against Ukraine. Georgian leaders have parroted the Kremlin’s disinformation by blaming the West for the war in Ukraine. Speaking at the GLOBSEC Bratislava security forum in May, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said ‘one of the main reasons’ behind the war in Ukraine ‘was NATO expansion … the desire of Ukraine to become a member of NATO.’ The Georgian Orthodox Church has taken the side of the Russian Orthodox Church over Ukraine receiving Orthodox autocephaly (independence). The Georgian Orthodox Church joined the Kremlin in protesting against Ukraine’s clamp down on subversion and Russian Orthodox clergy collaboration with Russian occupying forces.

Fourthly, Azerbaijan and Ukraine uphold the territorial integrity of states, which is not true of irridentist powers such as Russia and Armenia. Ukraine has given unqualified support to Karabakh constituting Azerbaijani sovereign territory. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan has not supported Russia’s invasion and occupation of Ukrainian territory during votes on critical resolutions at the United Nations.

Fifthly, Azerbaijan’s supply of energy to the European Union, together with other countries such as the US and Norway, removes Russia’s stranglehold over energy supplies. Azerbaijan is one of the strategically important countries assisting Europe to become energy independent of revanchist Russia.

Finally, Azerbaijan provides free energy to Ukraine for humanitarian work. Since Russia’s invasion, the Azerbaijani state energy company SOCAR has been providing free gas and petrol to vehicles used for humanitarian missions, such as delivering aid to internally displaced people, ambulances and fire trucks. In June Azerbaijan supplied twenty tons of fuel to Ukraine free of charge as humanitarian aid, as well as water pipes, water pumps, and life jackets, in response to Russia’s terrorist destruction of the Kakhovka dam.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has highlighted how Turkiye and Azerbaijan are close allies of Ukraine over a wide range of areas. As the second biggest military power in NATO, Russia is forced to take Turkiye seriously when it supplies military equipment to Ukraine and protects grain convoys sailing through the Black Sea.

Turkiye, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine oppose Russian irridentism in Eurasia and Russian-led Eurasian integration projects; uphold the territorial integrity of states and Karabakh as Azerbaijani sovereign territory; and recognize the importance of European energy independence from Russia. Turkiye and Azerbaijan stand with Ukraine during votes at the UN condemning Russia’s invasion and occupation. Unlike Georgia and Armenia, Turkiye and Azerbaijan do not fan Russian disinformation about the causes of the Russian invasion.

Taras Kuzio is a professor of political science at the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy. His latest book is Fascism and Genocide. Russia’s War Against Ukrainians

The views expressed in this article belong to the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect those of <a href="http://Geopoliticalmonitor.com" rel="nofollow">Geopoliticalmonitor.com</a>.

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Jeyhun Bayramov briefs Turkish counterpart on Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process (PHOTO)

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 16. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on February 15, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Trend reports.

The ministers discussed political, security, economic, and transport-communication aspects of Azerbaijan-Türkiye allied relations, as well as key regional and international developments. They emphasized the importance of continued cooperation and mutual support within regional and international organizations, including the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), the UN, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The discussions also covered developments in the Middle East, particularly in Gaza and Syria. Minister Bayramov provided a detailed update on the regional situation and the ongoing Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process.

The two sides also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest.

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