Mike Lynch to testify at US fraud trial

Mike Lynch pleaded not guilty Photo: BLOOMBERG

Mike Lynch is set to take the stand in San Francisco court on Thursday as a defense witness his own criminal fraud trial.

Mr Lynch, Autonomy's founder and former chief executive, and Stephen Chamberlain, the company's former chief financial officer, are facing trial on charges of fraud in the US over the sale of a British software company Hewlett Packard in 2011. 

A British entrepreneur has been accused of defrauding Hewlett Packard into buying his software startup for $11 billion (£8.7 billion) and faces up to 25 years in prison. jail. Mr. Lynch and Mr. Chamberlain have pleaded not guilty.

Mr. Lynch's testimony is scheduled to begin Thursday morning at the federal courthouse in San Francisco but could be delayed after his a legal team on Wednesday suggested they could go to trial. mistrial.

Lynch's lawyers accused the prosecution of using improper questioning during cross-examination of another witness at trial.

Lynch's team will decide by Thursday morning, when the court reconvenes, whether to file motion for mistrial. If it is granted, it could mean Lynch will be retried at a later date.

During the two-month trial, prosecutors accused Lynch of “years of multi-layered fraud.” If convicted, he could potentially face decades in prison.

The case saw the U.S. try to link Lynch to alleged accounting fraud at Autonomy before its sale, while the defense tried to distance itself from the company's founder. from allegations of misconduct.