Criminal fraud trial of UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch to begin today

The highly anticipated criminal fraud trial of Mike Lynch is set to commence in San Francisco today.

Lynch, once likened to “Britain’s Bill Gates,” co-founded Autonomy, a UK software company that gained significant attention for its innovations.

Lynch faces a slew of serious charges, including 17 counts of wire fraud, securities fraud, and conspiracy, stemming from the 2011 sale of Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard (HP). The accusations against him allege artificially inflated sales figures, misleading disclosures to auditors, analysts, and regulators, as well as intimidation tactics against dissenting voices within the company.

Maintaining his innocence, Lynch has vehemently denied all allegations. Nevertheless, if convicted, he could potentially face a lengthy prison sentence of up to 25 years.

HP’s acquisition of Autonomy, valued at $11.1 billion (£8.72 billion), was intended to bolster its software division significantly. However, barely a year following the acquisition, HP recorded an $8.8 billion write-down, citing purported “serious accounting improprieties, disclosure failures, and outright misrepresentations” at Autonomy.

Lynch, once celebrated for his contributions to enterprise, received notable accolades, including an OBE for services to enterprise in 2006. Additionally, he served on the science and technology council of former Prime Minister David Cameron and held a position on the board of the BBC. Lynch’s investment firm also backed Darktrace, a prominent cybersecurity company.

Throughout the legal proceedings, Lynch has consistently asserted that Autonomy’s struggles under HP’s ownership were the result of mismanagement rather than fraudulent activities preceding the acquisition. His preparation for trial has been marked by strict conditions, including house arrest since his extradition from the UK to the United States in May. Despite being granted limited freedom to leave his residence between 9 am and 9 pm daily in November, Lynch remains under close supervision, monitored by armed guards and wearing a GPS ankle tag.