Dan Price: Allegations of Sexual Abuse
If you experienced domestic violence or sexual assault by Dan Price, you have legal rights and options. We’re here to help you understand them and pursue the justice you deserve.
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Author: Kathryn Kosmides
- Dan Price is currently facing criminal charges in California related to sexually assaulting his ex-girlfriend while she was asleep, marking the second criminal case Price has faced related to sexual abuse allegations.
- So far, at least nine women have come forward to accuse Dan Price of domestic violence, sexual assault, recording sexual interactions without consent, and more.
- If you have experienced sexual harassment or abuse by Dan Price, you have legal rights and options, including the opportunity to report him to law enforcement and eligibility to file a sexual abuse lawsuit.
Who Is Dan Price?
Dan Price is the founder and former CEO of Seattle-based Gravity Payments, a credit card processing and financial services company.
Price originally made headlines for allegedly raising the minimum wage of all Gravity Payments employees to $70,000 in 2015. However, That same year, his brother, who was Price’s business partner, filed a lawsuit accusing Price of overpaying himself and engaging in minority shareholder oppression, among other allegations. The lawsuit was concluded in 2016 after a court ruled in Price’s favor.
In a 2016 interview with Esquire, Price said:
“Hey, I’m a narcissist, like all millennials. Did I raise the salaries for purely benevolent reasons? Yes, but I also wanted to be a hero. Doesn’t everyone want to be the hero?”
He has also been scrutinized for misrepresenting the founding of Gravity Payments and his funding of the $70,000 minimum wage.
Also in 2015, Dan Price’s ex-wife, Kristi Colón, alleged domestic violence by him during a TEDx Talk at the University of Kentucky, according to a report by Bloomberg. While talking about overcoming trauma, she reportedly read a 2006 entry from her journal without naming Price:
“He also threw me to the ground and got on top of me. He started punching me in the stomach and slapped me across the face. I was shaking so bad.”
The video of her talk was never publicly released, presumably because of pressure from Price’s lawyer.
However, since then, allegations of sexual abuse and domestic violence against Dan Price have continued to make headlines. The allegations came to a head in October 2024 when he was arrested on sexual assault charges.
- What is Sexual Assault?
- What is Sexual Assault in the First Degree?
- What is Sexual Assault in the Second Degree?
- What is Sexual Assault in the Third Degree?
- What is Sexual Assault in the Fourth Degree?
- What is Rape?
- What is Rape in the First Degree?
- What is Rape in the Second Degree?
- What is Rape in the Third Degree?
- How to Report Sexual Assault
- How Long Does a Victim Have to Press Charges?
- Can I file a Sexual Assault Lawsuit?
Overview of the Allegations of Sexual Abuse Against Dan Price
According to multiple reports, Dan Price’s history of alleged violence and abuse spans decades. Beyond his ex-wife’s accusations of domestic violence, Price has faced a series of allegations related to violent behavior and sexual assault, including the following:
- According to reports confirmed by Price, he was arrested in 2013 for assaulting a bar manager. However, the charges were dropped for unspecified reasons.
- In December 2020, Price allegedly pressured fitness coach Serena Jowers into having sex and recording the interaction without her knowledge or consent. The New York Times reported the incident in 2022.
- In the same article, the New York Times reporter interviewed three other women who alleged they had also learned Price secretly filmed sexual interactions with them.
- The same article details allegations that an ex-girlfriend of Price wrote in her diary that he had sex with her in the middle of the night without her consent three times.
- Danni Askini also told the reporter that she met Dan Price through OkCupid nearly ten years earlier. She said that when she did not invite him upstairs after their first date, he allegedly grabbed her neck, put his hands down the back of her skirt, and assaulted her.
- In February 2022, Price was criminally charged in Seattle with misdemeanor assault, misdemeanor assault with sexual motivation, and reckless driving. Shelby Hayne filed a police report following a dinner with Price after he tried to kiss her and grabbed her throat. When she rebuffed his advance, Price allegedly raced up to the top floor of a parking lot, drove the car in circles, and pulled into a spot. He then tried to kiss her again and grabbed her throat again, his hand pulsing “for minutes,” according to the police report. These sexual abuse allegations against Price resulted in his resignation from Gravity Payments. However, Price pleaded not guilty, and all charges related to the incident were dropped in April 2023.
- In September 2024, Dan Price was indicted by a Riverside County, California, grand jury on a charge of rape of an unconscious victim. An ex-girlfriend of Price alleges he sexually assaulted her in a room at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs after she told him she did not want to have sex and fell asleep. She reported the incident to local law enforcement the following day. She was one of the women the New York Times interviewed in 2022. Price has denied these allegations. He is out on bail with an arraignment scheduled for January 2025. Price’s lawyer also represented the Church of Scientology in the criminal rape case against actor Danny Masterson.
According to media reports, at least nine women have now come forward to accuse Price of various forms of domestic violence and sexual abuse, including sexual assault, non-consensual recording of sexual acts, domestic violence, and rape. He has now also faced two criminal cases related to sexual assault in two different jurisdictions, with one case still pending as of publication.
Given the in-depth reporting of the abuse allegations against Dan Price, it is likely other impacted individuals have not yet come forward or spoken about their experiences with Price. We are here to help these individuals understand their legal rights and options so they can be informed and empowered.
Legal Rights & Options if Sexually Abused by Dan Price
What options do you have if you were subjected to sexual harassment, sexual abuse, or domestic violence by Dan Price?
Your options will depend on various factors, including the outcomes you hope to achieve, the civil and criminal statutes of limitations in the jurisdiction where the harm occurred, and other facts and circumstances. We can connect you with an experienced sexual abuse attorney who can provide a free consultation regarding your rights and options.
In general, you have two main options if you have experienced sexual abuse or domestic violence by Dan Price:
- File a police report to trigger a criminal investigation and potential criminal charges against Price.
- File a sexual abuse lawsuit against Dan Price and other responsible parties.
You also have the right to speak to the media—as many brave women have already done. However, if you choose to speak to the media, we suggest you speak with an experienced attorney first. What you say may impact your ability to pursue other options. If you have already spoken to the media regarding alleged abuse by Dan Price but have not spoken with a lawyer yet, we highly recommend consulting one as soon as possible.
File a Police Report Against Dan Price
If you have experienced any form of abuse by Dan Price, you can file a police report. Filing a police report will trigger a criminal investigation and might result in additional criminal charges against Price.
A police report must generally be filed at the local police precinct in the jurisdiction where the harm occurred. You have a right to file a police report even if the harm happened years ago. However, prosecutors’ ability to press criminal charges will depend on various factors, including that state’s criminal statute of limitations.
Before reporting the abuse to law enforcement, we recommend writing down everything you can remember about the incident. Note the relevant dates, times, details of what happened, any potential available evidence, any potential witnesses, and anyone you told following the incident. You can have someone accompany you to file the report. You can likely call the local precinct and schedule an appointment to file the report with an officer trained in domestic violence and sexual assault cases.
While victims cannot file criminal charges against someone, reporting the abuse is the first step in a criminal prosecution. Prosecutors will ultimately decide whether to pursue criminal charges against Price. If you have questions about this process, contact us today.
File a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Against Dan Price
Sexual abuse lawsuits allow victims to seek monetary damages and other civil remedies for the harm they’ve experienced.
Over the last few years, numerous survivors have filed sexual abuse lawsuits against business executives and other high-profile individuals, such as the P. Diddy lawsuits, the litigation against the Alexander brothers, and other matters.
Eligibility to file a civil lawsuit is governed by the state’s civil statute of limitations, which imposes the deadline for filing a claim. In Washington state, where Price has resided, the civil statute of limitations for sexual abuse is generally three years from the incident date. In California, where Price has frequently visited, the statute is 10 years from the incident date for assaults that happened on or after January 1, 2019. For those that happened before that date but after January 1, 2009, a new law provides an additional three-year window for filing sexual assault claims, ending on December 31, 2026.
Even if you have signed a business or relationship non-disclosure agreement with Dan Price or Gravity Payments, you can likely still file a civil sexual abuse lawsuit. This is because NDAs are invalid regarding the reporting of criminal activity.
Whether you are just exploring your options or considering filing a sexual abuse lawsuit against Dan Price, we recommend speaking with an experienced sexual abuse lawyer as soon as possible. We can connect you with an experienced sexual abuse attorney who can provide a free consultation today.
Should you choose to move forward with a sexual abuse lawsuit against Dan Price or other relevant third parties, the attorneys in our network will represent you on a contingency fee basis. This means they will not charge you anything upfront, and they only get paid if they recover compensation for you.
What to Know About Filing a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Against Dan Price
Dan Price has already hired lawyers who are fiercely defending him against the allegations. However, this shouldn’t deter you from pursuing a lawsuit against Price and his associates. We work with experienced and knowledgeable attorneys who will relentlessly advocate for you.
They will represent you in all proceedings and handle all the legal work so you can focus on your life, not the case. We have helped over 1,500 survivors of sexual abuse understand their legal rights and options in the last year, and we’re here to help you as well.
Thus, we’ve compiled this list of potential questions survivors of abuse by Dan Price might have about filing sexual abuse lawsuits. If you’re exploring this option, contact us today so we can help you take the next step.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit against Dan Price?
Every state has its own civil statute of limitations for filing a sexual abuse lawsuit. Lawsuits generally must be filed in the state where the harm occurred.
Even if you think the applicable civil statute of limitations has expired, you might still be eligible to file a lawsuit. An experienced attorney can evaluate your case and determine whether any exceptions—such as a “look-back window”—apply to you. Thus, we recommend speaking to a lawyer as soon as possible.
How much does it cost to file a sexual abuse lawsuit against Dan Price?
Most experienced sexual abuse attorneys take such cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning they charge no upfront costs and only get paid if they recover compensation for you.
However, if an attorney takes a case on a contingency fee basis, they likely believe they can win and collect the final judgment or settlement. Every law firm’s criteria for taking cases on a contingency fee basis may differ. Thus, just because one law firm rejects your case does not mean you can’t find another to represent you.
Some firms might charge an hourly fee for representation, but this is not recommended. It could result in a large legal bill, given that Price has already shown his propensity to pay for expensive lawyers who will fight aggressively.
What does the process look like for filing a sexual abuse lawsuit?
Every case is unique, but the process for a sexual abuse lawsuit generally entails the following:
Document the Incident
Write down all details of the incident, including dates, times, and any communications or interactions with Dan Price. Take screenshots or gather any evidence that supports your account. Also, list any witnesses and those whom you told about the abuse.
Consult an Attorney
Speak with an attorney experienced in handling sexual abuse cases. They can guide you through the legal process, explain your rights, and help develop a strategy for your case.
Engage a Law Firm
Most law firms handle sexual abuse cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay any upfront costs. They only get paid if they recover compensation for you. This arrangement ensures you have access to justice without financial barriers.
File Claims Against Dan Price
Your legal team will file suit and litigate your case. They will handle all the legal details, allowing you to focus on your recovery.
Addressing Court Appearances and Requests
Your attorney will handle any required court filings or appearances. In most cases, you won’t need to appear in court unless absolutely necessary.
Discovery Process
During this phase, the parties exchange evidence. Evidence that might support your claim includes communications, records, and relevant documentation. Your legal team will also investigate any prior allegations against Price and delve into his prior conduct to support your claims.
Depositions
Depositions involve providing testimony under oath as part of the evidence-gathering process. If your deposition is required, your attorney will prepare you for testifying and represent you to protect your interests.
Settlement Negotiations or Trial Proceedings
After discovery, both parties will likely engage in settlement negotiations. If the parties can’t reach an agreement, your case might proceed to trial. Your attorney will advocate for you at every stage to seek the justice you deserve.
Can I still file a lawsuit if I never filed a police report or the criminal charges were dropped?
Yes, you can still file a lawsuit against Dan Price if you did not report to law enforcement. You can also pursue a lawsuit even if criminal charges were not filed or were dropped.
The burden of proof is significantly lower in a civil lawsuit than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” necessary for a criminal conviction. In a civil suit, you only need to prove by a “preponderance of the evidence that the abuse or assault happened, meaning that it was more likely to have occurred than not.
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