Tech tycoon Mike Lynch brands trial ‘surreal’ as he rejects blame for ill-fated Autonomy merger

Mike Lynch faces fraud charges in the US. Photo: PA

Rachel Graf

Tech tycoon Mike Lynch took the witness stand at his trial in San Francisco and disclaimed responsibility for what US prosecutors say was a “massive” Silicon Valley fraud, the $11bn sale of his software start-up to Hewlett Packard some 13 years ago.

He already lost a London civil trial in 2022 over the ill-fated acquisition of his Autonomy Corp, which in 2011 was Britain’s second-biggest technology company.