A luxury superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily during a storm on Monday , leaving six passengers, including British tech mogul Mike Lynch and members of his close circle, missing. They were gathered to celebrate Lynch's recent victory in a protracted legal battle.
Lynch was cleared of charges in a US fraud case in June and was reportedly aboard the Bayesian with some of those who supported him throughout the trial. Reid Weingarten, a member of Lynch's legal team who wasn't present, stated that the trip was partly intended as a celebration of the acquittal .
Here are the individuals who are currently unaccounted for after the superyacht's sinking .
Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah Lynch
Software entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his daughter, Hannah, are among those being searched for by police divers after the yacht was hit by a waterspout near Porticello, close to Palermo.
A representative for Lynch reported no updates on Tuesday. Lynch had been attempting to move beyond a Silicon Valley scandal that had marred his reputation as a symbol of British innovation.
A Cambridge-educated mathematician, Lynch made his name with Autonomy, a company that developed a search engine capable of sifting through emails and other internal business documents to assist companies in finding crucial information more swiftly. Autonomy's consistent growth in its first decade led to Lynch being hailed as Britain's Bill Gates and earned him one of the UK's highest honors, the Office of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2006.
Lynch, 59, sold his company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard for a whopping $11 billion in 2011. However, the deal quickly soured when he was accused of manipulating financial records to facilitate the sale.
The allegations of fraud led to Lynch's dismissal by HP's then-CEO Meg Whitman and sparked a decade-long legal battle. This culminated in his extradition from the UK to face criminal charges of orchestrating a multibillion-dollar fraud.
Throughout the ordeal, Lynch vehemently denied any wrongdoing, claiming that he was being scapegoated for HP's own missteps - a stance he maintained while testifying before a jury during a lengthy 2 1/2 month trial in San Francisco earlier this year. In an effort to substantiate their claims against Lynch, US Justice Department prosecutors called more than 30 witnesses to the stand.
In June, Lynch was exonerated at trial after being acquitted of all charges. Following his vindication, Lynch pledged to return to the UK and explore new avenues for innovation.
Despite avoiding a potential prison sentence, Lynch still faced a potentially massive bill resulting from a civil case in London that HP largely won in 2022. The damages in that case have yet to be determined, but HP is seeking a staggering $4 billion.
From the sale of Autonomy, Lynch pocketed more than $800 million.
Following these events, Lynch went on to establish technology investment firm Invoke Capital.
Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo
Among those unaccounted for on the yacht were one of Lynch 's US lawyers, Christopher Morvillo of the firm Clifford Chance, and his wife Neda.
Morvillo is known as a top-tier defense attorney , specializing in fraud and corruption cases. He was formerly a federal prosecutor in New York, involved in the criminal investigation of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. His father, Robert Morvillo, was also a lawyer who represented high-profile clients, including Martha Stewart.
Following Lynch's acquittal, Morvillo took to LinkedIn to express his gratitude towards the team of lawyers who worked on the case, as well as his wife and two daughters.
"None of this would have been possible without your love and support. I am so glad to be home," he penned. The post concluded with the phrase: "And they all lived happily ever after_."
In a recent legal podcast, Morvillo detailed his involvement with Lynch's case , beginning from when his firm was hired in November 2012.
He traveled to London to meet Lynch during Thanksgiving weekend that year, expecting to be away for a week, Morvillo shared on the For the Defense podcast. However, Morvillo revealed he "spent a significant portion of the rest of my life bouncing back and forth between London and New York."
The case has "covered one third of my career," he expressed. "It has been a constant presence in my life for the last 12 years."
Clifford Chance expressed its shock and deep sadness over this tragic incident, extending its thoughts to Morvillo and his wife. "Our utmost priority is providing support to the family," the firm stated.
Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy Bloomer
Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of Morgan Stanley's London-based investment banking subsidiary, and his wife, Judy, are among those missing from the yacht tragedy. Bloomer holds non-executive chairmanships at both Morgan Stanley International, which oversees markets outside the US , and Hiscox Group, an insurer operating in the Lloyd's of London insurance marketplace.
Bloomer was appointed to Autonomy's board of directors by Lynch in 2010, where he served as chairman of the audit committee during the HP deal. He testified on behalf of the defense during Lynch's trial.
Both Morgan Stanley and Hiscox expressed their deep shock and sadness over the tragic incident. "Our thoughts are with all those affected, particularly the Bloomer family, as we all await further news from this terrible situation," stated the bank.
Aki Hussain, the group chief executive of Hiscox, added: "Our thoughts are with all those affected, particularly our chair, Jonathan Bloomer, and his wife Judy, who are among the missing, and with their family as they await further news from this terrible situation."
In a bizarre twist of fate, another former Autonomy executive, Stephen Chamberlain, who was acquitted alongside Lynch of fraud charges, died just days before the sinking of the Bayesian. "Stephen Chamberlain was fatally struck by a car on Saturday while out running," his lawyer Gary Lincenberg confirmed in a statement.
Chamberlain, previously hailed as a financial wizard at his company, stood trial alongside Lynch and has been exonerated of allegations that he pumped up Autonomy's revenues and misled stakeholders including auditors, analysts, and regulators.
Both Chamberlain and Lynch were acquitted in court.
"He was a courageous man with unparalleled integrity. We deeply miss him," said Lincenberg. "Steve fought successfully to clear his good name at trial earlier this year, and his good name now lives on through his wonderful family."
Described as a beloved pillar of his community, Chamberlain leaves a legacy as a loving husband, father, and friend, noted his family in their heartfelt expression of grief released by the Cambridgeshire Police. "He was an amazing individual whose only goal in life was to help others in any way possible."
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