Big Technologies Ends Mediation with Founder Accused of Fraud

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Big Technologies has ended mediation with its founder Sara Murray over allegations of stock market fraud and plans to pursue litigation if no settlement is reached. Despite legal challenges and a sharp decline in market value, the company reported a return to profitability and anticipates exceeding full-year performance expectations.

Big Technologies, a London-listed firm specializing in electronic location tagging services for law enforcement, probation, and social care sectors, has ended mediation talks with its founder Sara Murray, who faces allegations of stock market fraud. The company, which trades on the junior AIM market, said it remains open to a settlement, whether through mediation or other means, but will pursue litigation in the absence of substantive discussions.

Sara Murray established Big Technologies in 2005 and served as chief executive until her dismissal in March 2025. The company accused her of failing to disclose connections to offshore entities that reportedly earned more than £100 million during Big Technologies’ initial public offering in 2021. Murray has denied all allegations and criticized the company's actions, arguing that her removal inflicted damage on shareholder value and imposed significant legal costs.

Big Technologies is currently suing Murray, and the case is under investigation by the Takeover Panel, a regulatory body overseeing market conduct in the City of London. Earlier this year, the company also agreed to pay £38.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by former investors who claimed they were unlawfully deprived of benefits tied to the 2021 flotation.

Once valued at approximately £1 billion, Big Technologies has seen its market capitalization fall sharply to around £291 million. Ian Johnson, the company’s previous chief executive, retired in late July and was succeeded on an interim basis by Charles Lewinton.

Despite ongoing legal challenges, Big Technologies reported interim results showing improved financial performance. Revenue increased by 9 percent to £26.9 million in the first half of 2026, and the company returned to profitability, recording a pre-tax profit of £9.5 million compared with a loss of £25.7 million during the same period last year. The company noted that its overall performance for the year is expected to slightly exceed market expectations.

Following the announcement, Big Technologies’ shares closed at 96.25 pence, down 1.6 percent, after rising 28 percent since the beginning of the year.

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