A CEO who raised his employees' minimum wage to $70,000 has been charged with sexual assault amid an ongoing felony rape investigation.
Dan Price of Gravity Payments made headlines in 2015 after choosing to take a personal pay cut more than $1million and upping the minimum salary for his employees to $70,000, paying himself the same as his workers.
Price was charged for assault with sexual motivation, assault, and reckless driving following an alleged incident in January, when he had agreed to meet a woman at a restaurant in Seattle.
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The woman told police she occasionally messaged Price about work on Instagram and that she had wanted to meet in person to discuss 'professional matters', KUOW reports. She stressed she had no romantic intentions and had a boyfriend at that time.
The CEO allegedly became intoxicated at the restaurant and later offered to let the woman wait in his own car while she hailed an Uber. Price is then said to have made a sexual advance, at which point the woman 'pushed him away and then he grabbed her throat', according to a police report.
With the woman still in the car, Price is then said to have driven to a park and ride where he began 'doing donuts in the top parking lot' before allegedly having 'tried kissing her again'.
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"After she pushed him away the second time, he grabbed her throat again and was pulsing his hand for minutes," the report said.
The situation then de-escalated and the victim was assisted by her boyfriend away from the car park.
Price is said to have messaged the woman the next day: "Thanks for meeting me last night." The woman said she did not reply to the message.
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Price was charged in Seattle Municipal Court and was scheduled for a court hearing on Friday (22 April). During the hearing, his arraignment was postponed until late May.
In a prepared statement cited by KUOW, Price's attorney Mark Middaugh slammed the allegations as 'absolutely false'.
"Dan Price’s successful business leadership and advocacy for progressive causes have made him a target for all kinds of smears," he claimed.
"We have already obtained evidence that contradicts key details of the police report and raises serious doubts about the complainant’s credibility. Mr. Price respects the legal process and is confident that he will be vindicated in court."
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The charges come as Price is being investigated for 'felony rape of a drugged victim' charges stemming from an incident in April 2021.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivor’s Trust for free on 08088 010 818, or through their website thesurvivorstrust.org
Emily Brown