The estate of late tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch is facing potential bankruptcy after a UK High Court ordered it to pay more than £700 million to Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). The ruling follows a long-running civil case over the controversial 2011 sale of Lynch’s software company, Autonomy, to HP.
The court found that Lynch and Autonomy’s former CFO, Sushovan Hussain, fraudulently inflated the company’s financials ahead of the $11 billion sale. Damages awarded include £646 million for overpayment and additional sums for deceit and currency losses.
Lynch died tragically in 2024 in a superyacht accident off the coast of Sicily. His estate is estimated to be worth around £500 million, meaning it may be unable to cover the full amount owed. Legal experts warn this could lead to insolvency proceedings.
A follow-up hearing in November will determine interest, exchange rates, and potential appeals. HPE is also exploring whether Lynch’s widow, Angela Bacares, holds assets that could be pursued to recover the debt. More on this story here.
