Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.
AIA

HP claim against Autonomy among biggest in Britain

by
14th Apr 2015
Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.

Hewlett Packard’s fraud complaint against Autonomy founder Mike Lynch will probably be made public within a fortnight but the case may take years to finish.

Legal experts told the Financial Times that the legal dispute between the software suppliers is one of the biggest of its kind in Britain.

In 2011, HP paid $11.1bn (£6.8bn) for Autonomy, a British software company, but a year later said it was worth $8.8bn less.

HP and its shareholders have accused Autonomy of misleading them over the true value of the company but Autonomy has denied this.

Last week, HP said it will sue Mr Lynch, and Sushovan Hussain, Autonomy’s former chief financial officer, in London’s High Court, the FT reported. The company is seeking damages of $5.1bn over an alleged fraud that occurred during the pair’s tenure.

In December last year, HP, which is being represented by city law firm Travers Smith, sent a private 200-page letter to legal representatives for Mr Lynch and Mr Hussain, the FT reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

The document outlines the $5.1bn claim HP intends to make against the two former Autonomy executives. It claims that the the group concocted deals to fraudulently attempt to inflate its value before the acquisition, the FT reported.

Both men have consistently denied the allegations.

Julie Killip, a litigation lawyer at Gordon Dadds, told the FT that the damages claim is one of the largest seen in a UK court. “I can’t think of many that have been as big as this,” she said. “Tactically the amount is maybe a scare tactic. It could just be finger in the air, think of a figure that could include any damages we come up with.”

Tags:

Replies (2)

Please login or register to join the discussion.

avatar
By Michael C Feltham
15th Apr 2015 12:29

Madness!

Clearly, neither Dr Mike Lynch and/or his ex FD have this sort of money!

Presumably, HP employed professional auditors to carry out at the very least a Q & D and prior to the acquisition, carry out full due diligence analysis?

Where do the auditors figure in the frame?

Furthermore what about Autonomy's own auditors?

Sour grapes and smoke and mirrors from, I suspect: Megs Whitman is perhaps seeking a scapegoat............

HP has been in troubled waters, since Carla Fiorini forged ahead with the insane merger with Compaq.

 

Thanks (0)
avatar
By carnmores
15th Apr 2015 19:49

i understand that discussions are underway

between Autonomy's auditors & HP's legal advisers as we speak

Thanks (0)