Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE) could sue the widow of British tech mogul Mike Lynch for up to £3bn following his death in the Bayesian superyacht disaster.
The US firm won a multi-million pound lawsuit in the UK High Court against Dr Lynch in 2022, accusing him of fraud over the £8bn purchase of his company Autonomy in 2011.
His death on August 19, when his £30m boat sank in a freak storm off the coast of Sicily, means his family could be liable for any payout decided by the judge.
And HPE is now expected to continue its case against his widow, Angela Bacares, for money arising from the judgment, despite the likely negative press for the company.
Dr Lynch, 59, who was acquitted in a separate criminal trial in the Autonomy case in the United States in June, died on the yacht with his 18-year-old daughter Hannah on August 19.
Now, HPE has confirmed that it will continue to pursue its legal case, with a spokesperson telling The Sunday TimesIn 2022, a High Court judge in England ruled that HPE had been substantially successful in its civil fraud claims against Dr. Lynch and Mr. Hussain.
Mike Lynch with his wife Angela Bacares, who managed to escape the disaster off Sicily
Hannah Lynch with her father Mike Lynch. They both died in the sinking of their superyacht last month
Hewlett-Packard Enterprise has confirmed that it will continue its legal case
‘A hearing on damages was held in February 2024 and the judge’s decision on the damages owed to HPE will be forthcoming in due course. HPE intends to pursue the proceedings to their conclusion.’
Just last week, the Daily Mail asked an HPE spokesman whether he would rule out seeking damages from Dr Lynch’s estate, but he said: “We do not believe it is appropriate to comment on legal matters in these tragic circumstances.”
MailOnline has contacted HPE today to confirm its latest position on the matter.
Last week, friends of Dr Lynch, including Conservative MP Sir David Davis, called on HPE to drop the suit. One said it would be a “terrible shame” if it continued.
HPE has won its civil case over claims that Dr Lynch and Autonomy’s former finance chief Sushovan Hussain inflated the Cambridge-based company’s revenues before the acquisition.
The US firm initially sought £4bn in damages, although Judge Hildyard ruled the amount would be “substantially less”. It is believed to have spent more than £50m on legal fees.
A fire service diving team leaves Porticello, heading for a rescue site in Sicily, August 23.
The Bayesian (file photo) sank on August 19 off the coast of Sicily amid severe stormy weather
At a hearing earlier this year to discuss the level of the payout, HPE said it was still seeking £3bn. It had sales of £22bn and profits of £1.5bn last year.
The corporate hardware and services business is separate from PC and printer maker HP Inc after a split in 2015.
The judge is expected to rule on damages before the end of the year.
A source close to the case said: “It is in the hands of the judge. We are waiting to hear from him. There is no decision to be made until he makes a decision.”
Conservative Party leader Sir David said that since the judge ruled the sum awarded to HP would be “far less than what they were claiming”, the company should drop the case.
“I think the most sensible thing for Hewlett-Packard to do in its own interest is to drop the case, because they’re not going to make a lot of money out of it, but they’re going to make themselves very unpopular with the general public by messing with a grieving family.”
Bank boss Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy died in the superyacht disaster on August 19.
Clifford Chance’s attorney, Chris Morvillo, and his wife, Neda Morvillo, were also among the dead.
The body of chef Recaldo Thomas was discovered on the day of the sinking last month
The former cabinet minister, who supported Dr Lynch in his battle against extradition to the US, said he had lunch with the businessman just three weeks ago, after his acquittal, and they planned to meet again soon.
Seven people died in the Bayesian disaster, and the ship’s captain, New Zealander James Cutfield, was the first crew member to be investigated for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges.
Tim Parker Eaton, the engineer who was in charge of securing the yacht’s engine room, and deckhand Matthew Griffith, who was on watch the night of the disaster, were also placed under investigation for the same possible charges last Wednesday.
The three crew members were among 15 survivors of the sinking of the Bayesian, a 56-metre British-flagged luxury yacht, which sank near Sicily in the Mediterranean.
Investigators are focusing on how a sailing ship deemed “unsinkable” by its manufacturer, the Italian shipyard Perini Navi, sank while a nearby sailboat remained virtually unscathed.
Prosecutors said the event was “extremely fast” and could have been a “downburst” – a localized, powerful wind that descends from a thunderstorm and spreads rapidly upon hitting the ground.
All crew members survived except the chef, but six passengers were trapped in the yacht’s hull and died.
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