Charge of rape dropped against ex-CEO of Gravity Payments, Dan Price
Riverside County Prosecutors Drop Rape Charge Against Dan Price
In a recent turn of events, the Riverside County District Attorney's Office has dropped a rape charge against Dan Price, the former CEO of Gravity Payments. The allegations stemmed from an incident at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs in 2021, where Price was accused of sexually assaulting a girlfriend.
The prosecutors made the decision to dismiss the charge on May 28, 2025, citing a lack of prosecutable evidence. Price, aged 41, had gained renown in 2015 when he took a drastic pay cut to raise his employees' starting salary to $70,000. However, his reputation took a hit in 2022 after the New York Times published an exposé detailing multiple allegations of abusing women, accusations he has denied.
The expose, based on interviews with over a dozen women, portrayed Price as a predatory figure who leveraged his fame for personal abuse. The article mentioned an alleged history of domestic violence, an assault in Seattle, and a rape accusation by his ex-girlfriend Kacie Margis. Margis alleged that Price raped her in Palm Springs in April 2021 after she had indicated she did not want to have sex and had taken cannabis to combat insomnia.
The Palm Springs Police Department submitted the rape case for review, resulting in an indictment by a Riverside County grand jury in September 2022. Price voluntarily appeared in court and posted bail, though never formally entered a plea as his arraignment was repeatedly postponed.
In a statement, the District Attorney's Office voiced that "after careful consideration, we have determined that we are unable to pursue charges against Mr. Price beyond a reasonable doubt." Price's attorney, Vicki Podberesky, expressed gratitude for the dismissal, stating that there was no "credible evidence" against her client.
Price has faced additional misdemeanor assault charges in Seattle, where a woman claimed he had forced unwanted kisses and grabbed her by the neck. These charges were dropped in 2023 due to "proof" issues.
In response to the dismissal, Margis expressed her disappointment, emphasizing the strength required to come forward with such allegations. She stated, "I hope this court recognizes the strength it takes to survive something like this - to speak out, to relive it over and over and still stand tall."
Vicki Podberesky is a noted criminal attorney who has represented the Church of Scientology and former USC Dean Marilyn Flynn in various investigations.
- The government of Riverside County, California, has dropped a rape charge against Dan Price, a former CEO, in a case that was closely followed by general news and crime-and-justice publications.
- The dismissal of the charge was due to a lack of prosecutable evidence, as stated by the Riverside County District Attorney's Office, despite the allegations made by Price's ex-girlfriend, Kacie Margis.
- Despite the dismissal of the rape charge, Price still faces misdemeanor assault charges in Seattle, demonstrating that the proceedings against him are not limited to the case in Palm Springs.
- Noted criminal attorney Vicki Podberesky, who has represented high-profile clients like the Church of Scientology and former USC Dean Marilyn Flynn, defended Price in the rape case, stating that there was no credible evidence against him.
