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Autonomy founder Mike Lynch extradited to US

Mike Lynch, the billionaire founder of UK software group Autonomy, has been extradited to the US after losing his appeal in the High Court last month.

Lynch faces a criminal trial in California over multiple allegations including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and securities fraud, charges the tech entrepreneur has strongly contested.

A judge in California ordered Lynch to pay a $100mn bail bond following a hearing shortly after his arrival in San Francisco.

The criminal case centres on claims that Autonomy’s accounts were manipulated, leading Hewlett-Packard to pay an extra $5bn when it acquired Autonomy in an $11bn takeover in 2011.

The UK Home Office confirmed Lynch’s extradition. “On 21 April, the High Court refused Dr Lynch’s permission to appeal his extradition,” it said in a statement. “As a result, the normal 28-day statutory deadline for surrender to the US applies. Dr Lynch was extradited to the US on 11 May.”

A spokesperson for Lynch at Invoke Capital, his investment firm which has backed tech start-ups including cyber security company Darktrace, declined to comment.

The extradition was first reported by Sky News.

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