Seattle CEO, big-business antagonist Dan Price accused of assaulting woman

A Seattle CEO who rose to prominence by boosting employees’ salaries when slashing his very own is experiencing misdemeanor assault prices stemming from allegations that he tried to pressure unwanted kisses on a girl, court information show.

Dan Selling price, 37, CEO of credit-card processor Gravity Payments, was charged in February with fourth-diploma assault with sexual inspiration, fourth-degree assault and reckless driving. Value has not yet been arraigned on the rates, which have been filed in Seattle Municipal Courtroom by the city attorney’s office environment.

A 26-12 months-previous girl referred to as Seattle law enforcement on Jan. 24 and documented that she experienced fulfilled Cost at a restaurant on Capitol Hill 4 days before. The two had earlier communicated on Instagram about work, charging papers say. The female explained Price tag as a public figure and mentioned she had reached out to him in December about meeting in particular person to discuss “professional issues,” say charging papers.

Instead, Seattle prosecutors say that Price tag cornered the girl in his Tesla sedan immediately after a meal conference, attempted to kiss her and then grabbed her throat when she refused. Relying on the woman’s account, metropolis attorneys contend Value then drove her to a North Seattle parking lot, where by he proceeded to generate “doughnuts” with her in the auto.

Price’s defense lawyer, Mark Middaugh, explained in an e mail Wednesday that the allegations against his customer are “absolutely bogus.”

“We have by now acquired evidence that contradicts important facts of the law enforcement report and raises really serious uncertainties about the complainant’s reliability. Mr. Price tag respects the legal approach and is assured that he will be vindicated in court docket,” Middaugh wrote.

The charges really do not state the woman’s occupation but be aware that she is in a relationship and wasn’t romantically fascinated in Rate.

Cost shot into the countrywide spotlight in 2015 when he declared he would elevate Gravity Payments personnel salaries to $70,000. At that time, his 120 personnel were being compensated an regular income of $48,000 a calendar year. Cost pledged to raise pay out over the future 3 decades across all aspects of the business, including the cheapest-compensated clerks, customer support reps and salespeople.

Cost reduce his own wage from nearly $1 million to $70,000, cementing a name for himself in the enterprise planet as a progressive CEO preventing for increased wages and much better conditions for the typical employee. In a Facebook live video clip, former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich known as Value “the one ethical CEO in The united states,” in a monologue that capitalism itself may perhaps be immoral.   

“I felt guilty in the old situation,” Rate said in the 2020 job interview. “I’m happier now. Possibly my ego took a strike, it’s possible my possibilities of acquiring on the Forbes checklist went from tiny to zero but it was well worth it for the reason that I’m happier, I’m healthier, and the people about are [as well].”

Assault rates submitted

The lady explained to police that Rate acquired drunk at the Jan. 20 evening meal and later invited her to hold out in his Tesla for her Uber to arrive simply because it was chilly exterior, according to charging papers. The lady agreed and reported as before long as she obtained in the vehicle, Price tag experimented with to kiss her, the costs say. When she pushed him absent, he grabbed her throat but did not hinder her airway.

“She explained at that level, his demeanor transformed and he became very offended,” and he drove away with the lady for the reason that it was having also prolonged for the Uber to get there, according to charging documents.

The girl described remaining frightened because Value was driving although intoxicated. She contacted her boyfriend, who reported he would pick her up at the Northgate park-and-trip, say the charges.

The moment the girl and Selling price arrived at the park-and-experience, Price tag commenced accomplishing doughnuts in the higher parking ton, then tried using to kiss the female again, according to the charges. She pushed him absent and he grabbed her throat a 2nd time, pulsing his hand on the sides of her neck, the fees say. The woman stated she could nevertheless breathe but was terrified Selling price “would do a little something more,” say charging papers.

The female mentioned Price then lay down in the back seat and her boyfriend picked her up, in accordance to the fees. She advised equally her boyfriend and father about the incident, and told police she did not have any bruising on her neck.

The following day, Cost sent the girl a textual content concept thanking her for assembly him the evening prior to, but the woman did not reply, charging papers say.

Charging files do not suggest regardless of whether law enforcement gathered the textual content message described by the woman, or if they spoke with other witnesses or Rate.

“Our attorneys are examining all of the proof and identifying the route ahead,” stated Anthony Derrick, a spokesman for the city attorney’s place of work. He mentioned his office does not remark on the particulars of ongoing litigation.

Arraignment Friday

Price started off Gravity Payments in 2004 at age 19, working with seed revenue from his older brother Lucas to create out the startup in his dorm area at Seattle Pacific College. He mentioned he got the concept for Gravity Payments when participating in in a rock band at a coffee shop.

Gravity Payments markets itself as a credit rating card processing company for “the very little gal or male who believes in the American desire and is keen to operate to chase it,” in accordance to its web-site.

All over the time of the 2015 income bump announcement, Price ran into authorized hassle. Price’s brother Lucas sued him for allegedly overpaying himself afterwards that yr. A King County choose ruled in 2016 that Dan experienced not violated Lucas’ legal rights as a minority shareholder.

Allegations that Price abused his ex-spouse Kristie Colon also surfaced that calendar year. A Bloomberg report recounted an October 2015 TEDx communicate provided by Colon all through which she described being beaten and waterboarded by her ex, without the need of naming Price tag. Selling price advised Bloomberg all those activities “never transpired.”

Rate now will take to Twitter and Instagram, from time to time many instances a working day, to urge other CEOs to raise wages, make it simpler for personnel to choose paid out time off, offer more generous health and fitness treatment and, in some cases, get rid of conferences as a way to enhance employee productiveness and pleasure.

Price is scheduled to surface in Seattle Municipal Courtroom on Friday, court records show.