The “$70,000 CEO” Dan Value’s abrupt resignation from the helm of Gravity Funds this week got here as he confronted a brand new allegation of purportedly raping a girl, in response to a bombshell report.
Value, who made worldwide headlines after he slashed his personal pay to $70,000 whereas elevating minimal wage on the firm, resigned as CEO this week amid studies that he had grabbed a 26-year-old girl by the throat after she rejected his advances.
However Value’s resignation got here shortly after he was contacted for a response to a rape allegation, in response to a report late Thursday.
Police in Palm Springs, California, have beneficial that Value face a cost of rape of a drugged sufferer. The manager has not but been charged in connection to the alleged incident.
Kacie Margis, a mannequin and artist, advised the New York Occasions she and Value have been relationship for about three months when the alleged rape occurred throughout a visit to Palm Springs. Value allegedly booted Margis out of their resort room for hours in order that he may take a cellphone name, even though she was solely sporting a bikini and a cover-up.
Later that day, Value purportedly grew indignant when she rebuffed his try and kiss her.
“He stated it's so onerous being him on this planet due to his intelligence,” Margis stated.
After their argument, Margis returned to the resort room and took a hashish edible. Value purportedly entered the room and tried to provoke intercourse, however she rebuffed him.
Margis advised police that as she drifted to sleep, she felt Value penetrate her even after she repulsed his advances. She “frightened he would kill her if she tried to cease him,” in response to the New York Occasions.
“Did you simply rape me?” Margis stated she requested Value, who denied he had assaulted her.
Margis texted a buddy that she was “shaking so dangerous and will hardly communicate.” She added that Value had “appeared me useless within the eyes and stated what I do know occurred didn’t occur.”
The New York Occasions stated its report was based mostly on Margis’ account, the police report from the incident and conversations with three people whom she had contacted shortly after the alleged rape occurred.
The mannequin stated she first discovered about Value in 2020 after coming throughout his viral social media posts championing employees’ rights and company accountability. When she favored considered one of Value’s Instagram posts in 2020, he messaged her, “Joyful Valentine’s Day lovely!”
Margis advised the New York Occasions that she initially ignored the message however finally responded early final 12 months. The 2 started speaking usually and Value finally flew Margis out to Seattle to fulfill him.
When contacted concerning the rape allegation by the New York Occasions, Value denied any wrongdoing and stated he “by no means bodily or sexually abused anybody.”
He added that “the opposite accusations of inappropriate habits in the direction of girls on this story are merely false.”
The Put up has reached out to Value and to Gravity Funds for remark.
Value alluded to the allegations in opposition to him in a resignation assertion earlier this week.
“My No. 1 precedence is for our workers to work for the most effective firm on this planet, however my presence has turn into a distraction right here,” Value stated. “I additionally have to step other than these duties to focus full time on combating false accusations made in opposition to me. I’m not going anyplace.”
Value, who has constructed a large following on social media whereas touting employees’ rights, faces a number of allegations of misconduct.
The Occasions report consists of one other allegation from a Seattle-based health coach named Serena Jowers, who alleges Value started watching porn throughout their third date and later pressured her into having intercourse.
Jowers and three different girls who spoke to the Occasions alleged that he filmed them with out consent.
One other girl, recognized solely as a former girlfriend of Value, alleged that he had intercourse along with her in the midst of the night time on a number of events with out her consent.
The report additionally incorporates different bombshell allegations — together with a declare that an concept that purportedly got here from Gravity’s workers to purchase Value a Tesla as a thank-you for his worker-first insurance policies had truly originated with one of many CEO’s prime lieutenants.
Moreover, Value is alleged to have tapped a ghostwriter, Mike Rosenberg, to construct his social media model.
Value was charged earlier this 12 months with misdemeanor assault and reckless driving after he allegedly tried to kiss the girl following a enterprise assembly after which grabbed her by the throat when she blocked his advances.
After the alleged altercation, Value allegedly carried out “doughnuts” in his Tesla whereas she was nonetheless within the automotive, in response to the Seattle Occasions. Value pleaded not responsible to the cost in Might and has denied wrongdoing.
In 2015, Bloomberg reported Value’s ex-wife Kristie Colon gave a TEDx speak during which she, with out naming Value, alleged that he had bodily assaulted her.
Value rose to fame in 2015 after declaring he would reduce his personal $1 million wage to $70,000. The tech CEO stated the cash would enable him to boost Gravity Funds’ minimal wage to $70,000 inside a three-year interval, up from $48,000.
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