Latest news with #Autonomy
Telegraph
a day ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Mike Lynch's friend killed by car while jogging, which he took up ‘to combat fraud trial stress'
A friend of tech billionaire Mike Lynch was run over and killed by a car after taking up running to deal with the stress of a fraud trial in which he was acquitted, an inquest heard. Stephen Chamberlain, 52, was crossing a road between two parts of a bridleway when he was struck by a Vauxhall on Aug 17 last year. He was an associate of Lynch, who died when the Bayesian superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily. Lynch was celebrating his acquittal in the same fraud trail when the ship capsized, killing seven people. It happened just two days after Chamberlain's death. Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy, 71, were the four British victims of the tragedy. His US lawyer Christopher Morvillo, his wife, Neda, and chef Ricardo Thomas also died. Chamberlain sustained a traumatic head injury in the collision on the A1123 near Stretham, Cambridgeshire. The injury was deemed unsurvivable and his life support was withdrawn three days later. Chamberlain was the co-defendant in a US trial alongside Lynch. Both men were cleared of conducting a massive fraud over the sale of software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011. His widow, Karen Chamberlain, said that her husband took up running after he was charged with fraud. 'He discovered it helped him mentally stay calm and focus on what was ahead,' said Mrs Chamberlain, in a statement read by lawyer Sally Hobson. She said her husband would 'meticulously spend hours planning his routes' and competed in ultra-distance races. He was safety conscious, she said, and would wear just one earbud, leaving the other ear free. 'That was no exception on the day – his other earbud was left at home,' Mrs Chamberlain said. She said he had been home from the US for two months and was 'making up for lost time, enjoying getting his life back'. On the day of the collision, he had planned to run 17 miles, starting in Ely and ending in Longstanton, Cambridgeshire. He was just over six miles into his run when he was struck. The coroner directed that the female driver of the car should not be named at Tuesday's hearing. The driver said, in a statement summarised by area coroner Caroline Jones, that as she 'approached the bridge she proceeded down the incline' and a man 'suddenly emerged into the road'. She said she saw Mr Chamberlain 'looking to his left away from her and only looked to his right just before the collision'. The driver said she had 'braked hard and steered to the nearside', but 'he was too close' and the front offside of the vehicle collided with him. She said she had been driving within the 60mph speed limit and was on her way to a shop in Newmarket, Suffolk. Grahame Cornwall, a motorcyclist who witnessed the collision, said that Chamberlain was thrown 'approximately 15ft' into the air. 'In his opinion the driver wouldn't have seen anything until she was on top of the rise (of the bridge) and wouldn't have had a chance to stop,' the coroner said. Police forensic collision investigator Pc Ian Masters said it was 'not an ideal crossing point by any stretch of the imagination'. Asked by the coroner if it was his view that it was not an avoidable collision, Pc Masters replied: 'Yes, that's correct.' 'Glue of our family' The coroner recorded a conclusion that Mr Chamberlain died as the result of a road traffic collision. Chamberlain's daughter, Ella, said in a statement to the inquest that her father was the 'perfect role model in every way'. His son, Teddy, said: 'He was the glue of our family, always ready with an answer.' 'The mental and physical strength he showed was beyond anything I could imagine.' In a statement outside the court read by lawyer Elena Abraham, the family said that they 'still have questions unanswered'. 'We will be inviting the police to refer the case to the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration,' the statement said.
ITV News
a day ago
- Health
- ITV News
Mike Lynch colleague Stephen Chamberlain hit by car while running, which he took up after fraud case
A businessman who died after being hit by a car while out running had taken up the sport after he was charged with fraud in the US alongside a tech billionaire, an inquest has heard. Stephen Chamberlain, 52, died from a "traumatic head injury" at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge three days after being hit on the A1123 in Stretham, Cambridgeshire, in August 2024. He was an associate of tech tycoon Mike Lynch, who died just days beforehand when his superyacht, the Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily. Mr Chamberlain was crossing a road between two parts of a bridleway when he was struck by a car that had crested a humpback bridge. In a statement to the inquest, his daughter Ella described her father as the "perfect role model in every way", while his son Teddy said he showed mental and physical strength "beyond anything I could imagine" and he was "so proud to be his son". Mr Chamberlain's widow Karen Chamberlain said in a statement that her husband had taken up running after he was charged with fraud. Mr Chamberlain was the co-defendant in Mr Lynch's US trial, and both were cleared last year of conducting a massive fraud over the sale of software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard in 2011. HP acquired the Cambridge-based company, which Mr Lynch founded in 1996, for £8.35bn but later wrote down the value by £6.68bn and asked the US justice department to investigate fraud. Mr Chamberlain was a former vice-president of finance at Autonomy and was accused of artificially inflating its revenues and making false and misleading statements to auditors, analysts and regulators in 2018. Both he and Mr Lynch were found not guilty in June 2024 after a trial in San Francisco, California. "He discovered it [running] helped him mentally stay calm and focus on what was ahead," Mrs Chamberlain said in a statement read by a lawyer. Her husband would "meticulously spend hours planning his routes" and competed in ultra-distance races. He was "safety conscious" and only wore one earbud while he ran, which was the case on the day he was hit, she said. She added that on the day of the crash, Mr Chamberlain had planned to run 17 miles, starting in Ely and ending in Longstanton, Cambridgeshire, and was just over six miles in when the crash happened. The coroner directed on Tuesday that the female driver of the car should not be named. In a statement summarised by area coroner Caroline Jones, she said that she saw Mr Chamberlain looking to his left, away from her, only looking to his right just before the collision, adding she "braked hard" and steered away but the front offside of the car collided with him. Grahame Cornwall, a motorbike rider who witnessed the collision, said in a statement that Mr Chamberlain was thrown "approximately 15 feet" in the air and added he did not believe the driver would have seen anything until she was on top of the rise of the bridge. PC Ian Masters said it was "not an ideal crossing point by any stretch of the imagination" and said it was his view that the crash was "not an avoidable collision". The coroner concluded Mr Chamberlain died as the result of a road traffic collision, and said she shared the family's concerns that the humpback bridge is an "irredeemable barrier" to visibility for pedestrians and other road users. She said she would write to Cambridgeshire County Council to request more information before deciding whether a report to help prevent future deaths was needed. However, in a statement outside court read by a lawyer, the family said they "still have questions unanswered". They said they will invite the police to refer the case to the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Mike Lynch's co-defendant in US trial was hit and killed by a car when he took up running to stay calm after he was charged with fraud alongside the tech billionaire, inquest hears
The former colleague and co-defendant of tragic tech tycoon Mike Lynch was hit and killed by a car after he took up running to deal with the stress of the US fraud trial they were facing, an inquest heard today. Stephen Chamberlain, 52, was out on a run in August last year when he was struck by a vehicle as it crested a humpback bridge. He died in hospital three days later. The incident occurred just two days before Mr Lynch, 59, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among seven people who lost their lives when his £30 million superyacht Bayesian sank suddenly off the coast of Sicily during a storm, sparking speculation about the closeness of the two deaths. During the inquest at Alconbury Weald, Cambridgeshire, today, Mr Chamberlain's father, Grenville, revealed his son had taken up ultramarathons to help deal with the mental and physical pressure he was under from the imminent US court battle. In a statement, he said: 'In order to keep himself fit for the charges ahead, Steve took up running and committed himself to becoming an ultra long-distance runner. 'He ran hundreds of miles, travelling to Snowdonia and the Lake District so he was able to negotiate areas he was not familiar [with], in order to run 200 miles in all weather conditions.' Mr Chamberlain and Mr Lynch had faced fraud and conspiracy charges over the allegedly inflated valuation that led to the £3.8 billion sale of tech firm Autonomy to US firm Hewlett-Packard in 2012. But both were acquitted of all 15 charges by a San Francisco jury in June last year, allowing them to return home to the UK. Area coroner Caroline Jones today ruled Mr Chamberlain's death was the result of a road traffic collision and said she would be writing to Cambridgeshire County Council about improve safety for pedestrians by the bridge, including signage and speed limits. 'On receipt of their responses, I will determine whether that adequately addresses my concerns or consider it's still necessary to issue a section 28 [Prevention of Future Deaths report],' she added. Ms Jones continued: 'My closing words have to be for Steve's family. I appreciate nothing can bring him back. 'I do hope you can take some small comfort from this part of the process concluding and in time reflect on all the good things…I am so very sorry for your loss.' Mr Chamberlain's wife, Karen - who wants the speed limit at the scene of the accident reduced from 60mph to 40mph - said afterwards that the humped bridge prevents drivers from seeing what is on the other side as they drive over it. 'Having a footpath where it is – at the bottom of the hill with that speed limit – it can happen to someone else,' she said. 'The pain we have gone through, I would not wish that on anyone else. It is hard – every day is painful.' Addressing the speculation about the proximity of two men's deaths, she added: 'It was incredibly hard. 'No one should have to go through that. It's difficult to process. Awful.' Mr Chamberlain's father pointed out they died 'days apart, thousands of miles apart'. Mr Chamberlain's son Teddy asked well-wishers to complete the run he died on as a tribute to his father A family statement revealed three people had benefited from Mr Chamberlain's organs that would 'hopefully change their lives for the better'. It added: 'Having fought successfully for his freedom, he returned from the US jubilant. 'He did so only to have his life cruelly taken from him.' Mr Chamberlain, Autonomy's vice president of finance alongside chief executive Mr Lynch, was around six miles into a run that began in Ely, Cambridgeshire, according to his Strava app, when he was fatally injured on August 17. He was at a spot between Stretham and Wicken when he was hit by the car as he crossed the road between two parts of a bridleway. He was rushed to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge with traumatic head injuries but his death was confirmed at 3.50am on August 20. The driver of the blue Vauxhall Corsa that hit Mr Chamberlain on the A1123, a 49-year-old woman from Haddenham, remained at the scene and assisted police with enquiries. Cambridgeshire Police today confirmed no further action would be taken against her. Summarising a statement from the driver, Ms Jones said that as she 'approached the bridge she proceeded down the incline' and a man 'suddenly emerged into the road'. She saw Mr Chamberlain 'looking to his left away from her and only looked to his right just before the collision'. Although she 'braked hard and steered to the nearside', he was 'too close' and the front offside of the vehicle collided with him. She said she had been driving within the 60mph speed limit and had been on her way to a shop in Newmarket, Suffolk with 'no time pressure'. Motorbike rider Grahame Cornwall, who witnessed the collision, said in a statement that Mr Chamberlain was thrown 'approximately 15 feet' up in the air. 'In his opinion the driver wouldn't have seen anything until she was on top of the rise (of the bridge) and wouldn't have had a chance to stop,' the coroner said. 'He said the entire incident must have been a matter of seconds.' Police forensic collision investigator Pc Ian Masters added it was 'not an ideal crossing point by any stretch of the imagination'. Asked by the coroner if it was his view that it was not an avoidable collision, Mr Masters replied: 'Yes, that's correct.' In the days following Mr Chamberlain's death, his family paid tribute to their 'much-loved husband, father, son, brother and friend'. They said in a statement: 'He was an amazing individual whose only goal in life was to help others in any way possible. 'He made a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. He will be deeply missed but forever in the hearts of his loved ones.' The businessman's son, Teddy, also asked well-wishers to take part in the run his father never got to complete. In a public post on Strava, he wrote: 'We are planning to complete this run for dad, if any of you would like to pay tribute to him and run it with us I will keep you updated. 'I'm sure we will make a post about the day and time at a later date. He was such an incredible man and the pain we feel is unimaginable.' The family today confirmed 70 people had taken part in the event and Teddy was now becoming an ultra runner himself. After Autonomy, Mr Chamberlain, who was married to Karen, worked as chief operating officer for cybersecurity firm Darktrace and volunteered as a finance director for Cambridge United football club. Work is ongoing on the £30 million salvage operation to raise the Bayesian from 160ft underneath the waves. Photographs taken by a diver last week appeared to discount the claim by shipbuilders that the stern hatch had been left open, allowing water to surge in when a freak storm struck. The ship, famed for its 236ft mast, took just 16 minutes to sink in the early hours after being hit by 100mph winds while at anchor off the fishing village of Porticello. Earlier last month, an interim report by British investigators highlighted 'vulnerabilities' in the yacht's stability which meant its crew were unable to prevent the 184ft luxury sailing boat from tilting violently on its side. The captain and crew would have been unaware, as the information was not laid out in a safety booklet onboard, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch said. The vessel claimed an eighth life last month - a Dutch diver working on the salvage operation. The Bayesian was legally owned by Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, who survived the disaster. The other victims were banking executive Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo and the yacht's chef, Recaldo Thomas. Three crew members are currently facing possible charges of manslaughter and causing a disaster under an Italian criminal investigation. However Under Italian law the fact the men - captain James Cutfield, chief engineer Timothy Parker Eaton and deckhand Matthew Griffiths - have been placed under investigation does not imply guilt and does not necessarily mean that charges will be brought against them.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Seattle police make arrests at counterprotest to 'Mayday USA' event in Capitol Hill
The Brief Counterprotesters gathered on Capitol Hill on Saturday against a Mayday USA event. Initial altercations with police led to several arrests. Community groups stayed at Cal Anderson Park to demonstrate against what they describe as an anti-trans, anti-LGBTQ+ and far-right organization coming to town on Saturday. SEATTLE - A counterprotest to "Mayday USA" kicked off at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. Altercations between police, event organizers, attendees and counterprotesters has led to several arrests. Big picture view Community organizations and activists are taking to the park to counter Mayday USA's event, which they call a "well-funded anti-trans, anti-queer event that is led by far-right Christian activists." Seattle police have made several arrests at the Mayday USA event as of Saturday afternoon. Counterprotestors are showing up under the theme of "Keep Your Bibles Off Our Bodies." Local perspective One of the prominent supporters of Mayday USA is former Spokane Valley state representative Matt Shea, of the "On Fire Ministries," according to the Radical Women Seattle. Mayday USA organizers have set up a tour of five cities in the country, with Saturday's event being held in what is considered the heart of the LGBTQ+ community in Seattle on Capitol Hill. Organizers of the counterprotest say they will bring signs and banners to the picket line to demonstrate the following action items listed in a press release ahead of the Mayday USA event: Stop the War on Trans & Queer Folk Empower Youth to Speak, Define & Defend Themselves Defend Bodily Autonomy & Abortion Rights Stand Against the Racist Christian Identity Movement Defeat Trump, Musk, & Project 2025 What they're saying "We are encouraging everyone to come out and show their solidarity," said Freedom Socialist Party leader Doreen McGrath, whose organization is endorsing the picket. "Attacks of this kind need to be met with protest every time." Other endorsers include Organized Workers for Labor Solidarity, Puget Sound Mobilization for Reproductive Justice, and Radical Women. The Source Information for this story came from the Radical Women Seattle organization. Luxury Seattle hotel sues 'nuisance' building next door Firefighters in western WA train for possibility of 'above average' wildfire season Shawn Kemp lawyers claim bias in Tacoma Mall shooting case as trial nears Federal judge blocks Trump's dismantling of the Department of Education 'Where is Teekah?': Mother speaks out after Tacoma, WA cold case Activist marks 2 weeks in tree to protest logging near Port Angeles Driver arrested after deadly crash in Kent, WA To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Circularity problem' over Mike Lynch's $630 million estate finally resolved as HPE moves closer to settling multibillion-dollar claim
A longstanding stalemate over the fate of a $4 billion claim against the late Autonomy founder Mike Lynch has finally been resolved after the civil judge found a solution to Lynch's family refusing to take up their role as the executors of his multimillion-dollar estate. Lynch passed away in August last year alongside his 18-year-old daughter Hannah and five other passengers after his Bayesian yacht sank in a storm off the coast of Italy. Weeks earlier, Lynch had been acquitted of criminal fraud charges in the U.S. related to Hewlett-Packard's (now HPE) $11.7 billion acquisition of Autonomy in 2011. However, Lynch lost a 2022 civil case in the U.K., which could have left him liable for up to $4 billion in damages based on HPE's demands. Mr Justice Hildyard, who oversaw that civil case, postponed a judgment on a damages figure in the wake of Lynch's death in August, according to a legal document circulated last week. At the time of his 2022 judgment, Hildyard said the final settlement would be considerably lower than the $4 billion figure pursued by HPE. He had been awaiting correspondence from Lynch's legal representatives at Clifford Chance, in the wake of his death. 'Not knowing, at that time, of the reluctance of Dr Lynch's executors to take up their roles, I had envisaged that I would hear back from the parties in October,' Hildyard wrote. However, he confirmed he heard nothing until November, after which it became clear the case had reached an impasse relating to Lynch's estate. Hildyard explained that executors of Lynch's Will, which included his widow Angela Bacares, Autonomy co-founder Richard Gaunt, and its former chief operating officer Andrew Kantar, had at varying points renounced their roles, citing the need to await a judgment on damages to assess their solvency. That created what Travers Smith, the law firm representing HPE, described as a 'circularity problem.' No one was willing to represent Lynch's estate until a settlement was agreed to determine its solvency, but no judgment could be granted until an executor was willing to represent the estate. To break that impasse, Hildyard appointed the retired, former Clifford Chance lawyer, Jeremy Sandelson, as an independent third-party legal representative for Lynch's estate. Sandelson was the preferred choice of Bacares, who knew Lynch and his family 'both socially and professionally.' Sandelson will be able to appoint lawyers and subtract legal fees from the estate's funds. Clifford Chance partner Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda Morvillo, were among those killed in the Bayesian disaster. The 'Magic Circle' law firm, which represented Lynch, is currently owed around $1.1 million in legal fees linked to the lawsuit across its U.S. and U.K. offices. The Sunday Times Rich List reported that Lynch's assets were worth around £473 million (around $630 million), much of it in Bacares's name. These included their Suffolk estate and most of Lynch's 7% share in Darktrace, the cybersecurity company founded by former Autonomy employees and acquired by Thoma Bravo for $5.3 billion. There was brief speculation that HPE would abandon its case against Lynch, owing to the potential for negative PR from pursuing Lynch's grieving widow, Bacares, for damages. An HPE spokesperson confirmed at the time that the group would see the case through to its conclusion of a settlement, adding a reminder of its fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of shareholders, a point reiterated by HPE chief executive, Antonio Neri. This story was originally featured on
