Meade Lewis

Meade Lewis
Born:
Charges:	Wire fraud (5 counts), charged
Sentence:
Facility:
Status:	Charged; awaiting trial

Meade Lewis is an American technology executive from the Tampa, Florida area. He is the founder, chief executive officer, and majority shareholder of mIQroTech, Inc., a startup that develops sensor and software systems for detecting leaks in oil and gas pipelines.

On May 26, 2026, a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida returned an indictment charging Lewis with five counts of wire fraud. Prosecutors allege that between October 2020 and May 2023 he raised more than $7 million from investors by making false and misleading statements about mIQroTech's finances, customers, and product, and that he diverted some investor money to his own use. Lewis was 32 years old at the time of the indictment.

Lewis has not been convicted of any crime. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on May 26, 2026, and was released pending trial. An indictment is a formal accusation. It is not evidence of guilt, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges remain allegations. The case was pending as of June 2026, with a status conference scheduled for June 16, 2026.

Background

Lewis built a public profile in the Florida technology sector before the charges. He was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2021. He has described himself as an Eagle Scout and has given a TEDx talk on pipeline leak detection.

Before founding mIQroTech, Lewis worked in the oil and gas industry. According to reporting on the case, he served as a chief information officer at two energy companies earlier in his career. He is a resident of the Tampa area. Court records and local reporting place his residence in Temple Terrace, a suburb northeast of Tampa.

mIQroTech

Lewis founded mIQroTech in 2017. The company describes itself as a technology firm focused on the oil and gas industry. Its core product is a leak-detection system meant to find pipeline leaks early, before they grow into larger spills.

The startup positioned itself as an environmental-technology play. Its pitch tied pipeline monitoring to spill prevention and reduced environmental damage. mIQroTech raised capital from outside investors during the period covered by the indictment. Reporting on the case identifies Chevron Technology Ventures, through its Catalyst program, among the investors connected to the company.

The company won recognition in the technology and energy space during its growth, and Lewis used that visibility in fundraising. The product and the company's standing with industry partners are central to the government's allegations, because prosecutors say Lewis misrepresented both to investors.

The Allegations

The indictment covers conduct that prosecutors place between October 2020 and May 2023. The government alleges that Lewis raised more than $7 million from investors by telling them things about mIQroTech that were not true.

Prosecutors allege the false statements fell into three areas. First, the company's finances. Second, its customers. Third, its product. According to the indictment, Lewis sent emails to investors containing false and misleading statements, and he prepared pitch decks that included misleading financial information and false representations about the business.

The government also alleges that Lewis did not use all of the money the way he told investors he would. Prosecutors say he applied some investor funds to his own personal enrichment. Court filings cited in local reporting describe specific transfers, including a $1 million transfer on June 1, 2021, and a $3 million transfer on June 3, 2021, into accounts that Lewis controlled.

These are allegations. The indictment sets out the government's theory of the case. It does not establish that any of it happened. Lewis has pleaded not guilty and has the right to contest the charges at trial.

Charges

Lewis is charged with five counts of wire fraud. Wire fraud is a federal offense under 18 U.S.C. § 1343. It covers schemes to obtain money or property through false or fraudulent pretenses carried out using interstate wire communications, which includes email and electronic funds transfers.

The indictment was returned in the Middle District of Florida and is being handled in the Tampa Division. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the charges. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts is prosecuting the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Blain Goff is handling the forfeiture portion.

If convicted, Lewis faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison on each of the five counts. The indictment also includes a forfeiture notice. The government states its intent to seek forfeiture of at least $7,096,458, which it alleges represents proceeds traceable to the charged offenses.

Lewis was arraigned on May 26, 2026, in a hearing that lasted about twelve minutes. He entered a plea of not guilty and was released. A status conference was set for June 16, 2026. A maximum penalty is set by statute. Any sentence in a federal case, if there is a conviction, is imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors, and is typically well below the statutory maximum.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who is Meade Lewis?

Meade Lewis is a technology executive from the Tampa, Florida area. He is the founder, chief executive officer, and majority shareholder of mIQroTech, Inc., a startup that develops leak-detection technology for oil and gas pipelines. He was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2021.

Q: What is Meade Lewis charged with?

A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida charged Lewis on May 26, 2026, with five counts of wire fraud. Prosecutors allege he raised more than $7 million from investors between October 2020 and May 2023 by making false statements about mIQroTech's finances, customers, and product. The charges are allegations. Lewis has pleaded not guilty and has not been convicted.

Q: Has Meade Lewis been convicted?

No. Lewis has been charged by indictment, not convicted. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on May 26, 2026, and was released pending trial. An indictment is a formal accusation, not evidence of guilt. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

Q: What is mIQroTech?

mIQroTech, Inc. is a Tampa-area technology startup founded by Lewis in 2017. It develops systems intended to detect leaks in oil and gas pipelines early, with the stated goal of preventing larger spills. Reporting on the case identifies Chevron Technology Ventures, through its Catalyst program, among the company's investors.

Q: How much money is involved in the case?

Prosecutors allege Lewis raised more than $7 million from investors through false statements. The indictment includes a forfeiture notice seeking at least $7,096,458, an amount the government alleges represents proceeds of the charged offenses. These figures reflect the government's allegations, which Lewis is contesting.

Q: What sentence does Meade Lewis face?

Each of the five wire fraud counts carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison if there is a conviction. A maximum penalty is set by statute. Any actual sentence would be decided by the court after a conviction, based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors, and is typically far below the statutory maximum. Lewis has not been convicted.

Q: Who is prosecuting the case?

The case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Roberts is prosecuting, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Blain Goff is handling forfeiture. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.