A Virginia-based precious metals processing company has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that two former employees stole confidential business information worth millions of dollars as well as over $200,000 in cash and goods. The complaint claims that the individuals used this information to start competing businesses and damage the reputation and operations of their former employer.
The lawsuit was filed by Global Refining Group, Inc. on April 16, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia against Kenneth Meeks, Amanda Meeks, CatalytX LLC, and CatalytX Materials LLC.
According to the complaint, Global Refining Group is one of the leading catalytic converter recycling and processing corporations in the United States. The company alleges that Amanda Meeks worked in managerial roles at Global from September 2014 to July 2025 with access to sensitive data including financial records and proprietary databases. In March 2025, Amanda Meeks arranged for her husband Kenneth Meeks to be hired as a scrap metal purchaser at Global. He was entrusted with $200,000 to purchase scrap metal on behalf of the company.
The complaint outlines a series of actions beginning in spring 2025 when both Amanda and Kenneth Meeks allegedly began an unauthorized plan to use Global’s confidential information for personal gain. It is alleged that Amanda Meeks sent sensitive smelter-related information from her work email to her husband and later transferred QuickBooks files containing comprehensive financial data to her personal email address shortly before resigning. Kenneth Meeks is accused of covertly accessing restricted databases containing client information without authorization during his final weeks at Global.
Upon leaving the company in July 2025, Kenneth Meeks allegedly retained the $200,000 provided for scrap metal purchases instead of returning it as required by his contract. After their departure from Global Refining Group, both defendants are accused of soliciting clients for Empire Services Inc., an industry competitor that previously had no catalytic converter processing operations.
The complaint further alleges that after founding CatalytX LLC and CatalytX Materials LLC as new ventures offering automotive recycling services, Amanda and Kenneth Meeks published proprietary pricing algorithms and database identifiers derived from Global’s confidential data on a publicly accessible website for CatalytX. This publication reportedly included dynamic pricing information based on precious metal content formulas developed by Global over many years at significant expense.
Global Refining Group asserts that these actions have caused substantial harm by devaluing its trade secrets, interfering with customer relationships, causing lost profits, reputational damage, and enabling competitors to bypass years of research investment. The complaint also states that Kenneth Meeks made false statements about Global’s business practices to customers and employees—specifically claiming that laboratory results were manipulated—which allegedly resulted in further reputational harm.
Legal claims brought by Global include violations under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA), Virginia Uniform Trade Secrets Act (VUTSA), Virginia Computer Crimes Act (VCCA), Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract against both Amanda and Kenneth Meeks individually for separate acts related to their employment agreements or obligations; conversion regarding retention of funds; defamation; and conspiracy under Virginia law.
The plaintiff requests compensatory damages for actual losses including at least $200,000 retained by Kenneth Meeks; disgorgement of profits gained through misappropriation; exemplary or punitive damages where permitted; attorneys’ fees; treble damages under Virginia business conspiracy statutes; recovery of costs incurred due to computer crimes; injunctive relief prohibiting further use or dissemination of confidential information; removal or disabling websites utilizing stolen data; prohibition on soliciting customers using misappropriated information; return or destruction of all confidential materials; pre-judgment and post-judgment interest; as well as any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Global Refining Group is represented by Robert Powers (McClanahan Powers PLLC) along with Jonathan K. Osborne, Jennifer Nicole, Monique Zapata (Gunster). The case is identified as Civil Action No.: 3:26-cv-321.
Source: 326cv00321_Global_Refining_Group_Inc_v_Meeks_Complaint_Eastern_District_Virginia.pdf
