Mike Lynch, the British tech entrepreneur who recently won a major legal battle against U.S. fraud charges, is now missing after his luxury yacht sank off Sicily, according to Reuters.
Lynch, who founded the successful software company Autonomy, faced years of legal troubles after selling the company to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion.
In 2012, HP claimed Autonomy was involved in a huge accounting scandal and wrote off $8.8 billion from its value. Lynch fought these accusations in court for over a decade, with HP seeking $5 billion in damages.
Although Lynch was eventually acquitted of fraud and other charges in the U.S., he remained a controversial figure.
Lynch and his wife were aboard their 56-meter yacht, the Bayesian, when a violent storm caused it to sink near Palermo.
The yacht, owned by Lynch’s family, had 22 people on board. Lynch, who was known for his innovative work in data processing and later in venture capital, is now missing, adding a tragic turn to his already dramatic story.
Credit : Reuters