• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Gravity Payments

Court Rules That the ‘$70k CEO’ Is Not Overpaid in Suit Filed by Brother

Lucinda Shen
By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
Lucinda Shen
By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 11, 2016, 12:31 PM ET

Dan Price, the Gravity Payments CEO known for pledging a minimum salary of $70,000 to all his employees, isn’t overstuffing his own coffers, a judge ruled Friday.

That comes after his brother and co-founder for the credit card payments company, Lucas Price, alleged that Dan Price had overpaid himself and misused company funds for personal expenses last year.

But a Superior Court judge in Seattle, Theresa B. Doyle, ended that dispute after a three-week long trial, ruling that the elder of the two, Lucas, did not give sufficient evidence that Dan had over-compensated himself and violated Lucas’ rights as a minority shareholder. Moreover, Dan’s compensation decisions in 2013 and 2014 were made in “good faith,” Inc. reported.

Additionally, Lucas has been ordered to pay Dan’s legal fees—estimated to be around $1 million, Dan told Inc. last year.

Dan, who owns 67% of the company, rose to prominence after setting the minimum wage for his company’s 120-some employees to $70,000 last year. He also pledged to cut his own pay from $1.1 million to $70,000. Just a few weeks after that news broke, Lucas Price, with about 33% of the payments company, sued his brother after years of sparring, back-and-forth, about how to compensate Dan. Lucas however signed the complaint before Dan made that announcement.

 

According to court filings seen by Inc., Dan earned $1.1 million in 2014 and 2013, $2.04 million in 2012, and $909,000 in 2011. In 2008, the two brothers agreed to restructure their fast-growing company, giving Dan a majority stake, while Lucas would no longer manage day-to-day activities.

Related: When This Startup’s ‘Shark Tank’ Deal Fell Through, Tinder’s CEO Pounced

In a Facebook post following the ruling, Dan wrote: “My love for my brother is unconditional. I will never take for granted the incredibly valuable role Lucas played in creating our company.”

Fortune has reached out to Lucas’ attorney, Greg Hollon, and will update this story when he responds.

About the Author
Lucinda Shen
By Lucinda Shen
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Members of the public pose for photographs beside the Charging Bull, sometimes referred to as the Bull of Wall Street or the Bowling Green Bull on Broadway on April 14, 2025 in New York City.
EconomyWall Street
Markets haven’t rallied this fast since COVID—Iran volatility is just another ‘notch on the belt’ of investors, says J.P. Morgan strategist
By Eleanor PringleApril 15, 2026
27 minutes ago
Gavin Newsom stands behind a podium with a piece of paper in his hands as people celebrate around him.
Economycompensation
Economists warned California not to raise the minimum wage to $20. They were wrong in almost every way so far, another economist says
By Sasha RogelbergApril 15, 2026
41 minutes ago
fudd
CommentarySports
Azzi Fudd: how I learned to use NIL for transformation, not just transactions
By Azzi FuddApril 15, 2026
46 minutes ago
With global oil supplies weeks away from systemic shortages, Trump teases an end to the war
EnergyMarkets
With global oil supplies weeks away from systemic shortages, Trump teases an end to the war
By Jim EdwardsApril 15, 2026
47 minutes ago
Dow’s next chapter depends on whether new CEO Karen Carter gets room to lead—and how fast Jim Fitterling steps back
NewslettersCEO Daily
Dow’s next chapter depends on whether new CEO Karen Carter gets room to lead—and how fast Jim Fitterling steps back
By Diane BradyApril 15, 2026
1 hour ago
Mike Horton poses with his arms crossed.
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Exclusive: Hyfix raises $15 million to build a U.S. alternative to DJI’s drone dominance
By Lily Mae LazarusApril 15, 2026
1 hour ago

Most Popular

Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated again—a week after gifting millions to a college, she's just given $70 million to Meals on Wheels America
Success
Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated again—a week after gifting millions to a college, she's just given $70 million to Meals on Wheels America
By Fortune EditorsApril 13, 2026
2 days ago
Retirees are facing a $345,000 bill they never saw coming — and most aren't prepared
Commentary
Retirees are facing a $345,000 bill they never saw coming — and most aren't prepared
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
1 day ago
He was coding at 12 like Elon Musk and became one of Google’s youngest-ever CMOs—but now says Gen Z is better off ice skating than learning to code
Success
He was coding at 12 like Elon Musk and became one of Google’s youngest-ever CMOs—but now says Gen Z is better off ice skating than learning to code
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
1 day ago
Anthropic is facing a wave of user backlash over reports of performance issues with its Claude AI chatbot
AI
Anthropic is facing a wave of user backlash over reports of performance issues with its Claude AI chatbot
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
1 day ago
Palantir CEO says working at his $316 billion software company is better than a degree from Harvard or Yale: ‘No one cares about the other stuff’
Success
Palantir CEO says working at his $316 billion software company is better than a degree from Harvard or Yale: ‘No one cares about the other stuff’
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
23 hours ago
Current price of oil as of April 14, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of April 14, 2026
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
24 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.