New York based Clifford Chance Partner Christopher J Morvillo is one of the few individuals reported missing following the sinking of a luxury yacht during a storm near Sicily. The vessel, known as the Bayesian, was carrying a total of 22 individuals, comprising 12 passengers and 10 crew members at the time of the incident.
Here is what is known about him. Christopher Morvillo is a distinguished attorney and a partner at the international law firm Clifford Chance. Alongside Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of Morgan Stanley International bank, Morvillo is among the six passengers who remain unaccounted for. In the initial stages of the search, it was disclosed that UK technology entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his daughter, Hannah, were also missing. The 56-meter Bayesian had a diverse group of 22 people on board, including British, American, and Canadian nationals. Fifteen individuals were successfully rescued after the yacht capsized due to a severe storm that generated waterspouts, which are rotating columns of air and mist. Officials have confirmed the recovery of one body.
Fire rescue teams reported that divers faced challenges accessing the cabins below deck due to debris that had shifted during the intense storm that caused the luxury sailboat to overturn early on Monday. Diver Marco Tilotta noted that there exists a “world of objects,” including furniture and debris, obstructing the narrow stairway leading to the yacht’s cabins. Lynch and Chamberlain faced fraud allegations in the United States concerning the £8.6 billion sale of his company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard in 2011. Lynch described the trial as “surreal.” He remarked, “I’ve heard comments from people that just don’t accurately reflect the company that my colleagues and I dedicated 15 years to.” However, it was later revealed that Chamberlain had tragically lost his life in a road accident just days prior to the ongoing search for the missing passengers. According to his biography on the Clifford Chance website, Morvillo possesses extensive expertise in representing both corporate and individual clients in white-collar government investigations. From 1999 to 2005, Morvillo held the position of assistant US attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Who is Clifford Chance Lawyer – Christopher Morvillo
Chris’ recent representations have included investigations and prosecutions of alleged insider trading, trade secret theft, securities fraud, accounting fraud, healthcare fraud, and alleged violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and the Arms Export Control Act. He has also recently conducted internal investigations for corporate clients involving possible corporate espionage, violations of the Endangered Species Act, insider trading, and embezzlement.
The HP-Autonomy U.S. criminal legal case involves allegations that Autonomy executives, particularly CEO Michael Lynch and CFO Sushovan Hussain, fraudulently inflated the company’s financials before its $11.1 billion acquisition by Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011. After the deal, HP wrote down $8.8 billion of Autonomy’s value, claiming accounting improprieties and fraud. Hussain was convicted in 2018 of wire fraud and securities fraud, while Lynch faced extradition to the U.S. for trial. The case highlights significant issues in corporate governance and the risks of high-stakes mergers and acquisitions.
On June 6, 2024 the global law firm Clifford Chance achieved a not-guilty verdict for their client, Dr. Mike Lynch, the former CEO of Autonomy, following a 12-week criminal trial in Federal Court. Dr. Lynch faced allegations of misleading Hewlett Packard Co. (HP) regarding Autonomy’s business and financial status prior to HP’s acquisition of the British software company for US$11.7 billion in 2011. This acquittal concludes a 13-year legal struggle, which has been characterized as one of the most significant fraud cases in Silicon Valley history. Christopher Morvillo, a partner at Clifford Chance, along with Brian Heberlig, a partner at Steptoe LLP, acted as co-counsel for Dr. Lynch. They expressed their satisfaction with the jury’s decision, stating, “We are delighted with the jury’s verdict, which signifies a clear dismissal of the government’s excessive actions in this matter. The evidence presented during the trial irrefutably established Mike Lynch’s innocence. This verdict brings to a close a relentless 13-year campaign to attribute HP’s well-documented failures to Dr. Lynch. We are grateful that the truth has ultimately emerged. We appreciate Dr. Lynch’s trust throughout this challenging period and hope he can now return to England to resume his life and continue his innovative endeavors.”
HP v Autonomy – The Defendants
British tech magnate Mike Lynch was acquitted acquitted of fraud charges in $11 billion deal with Hewlett Packard on June 6, 2024. In the HP-Autonomy U.S. criminal legal case, the key defendants and co-defendants included:
1. Sushovan Hussain
Role: Former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Autonomy.
Charges: Hussain was charged with and eventually convicted of wire fraud, securities fraud, and conspiracy. He was accused of inflating Autonomy’s financials to mislead Hewlett-Packard (HP) about the company’s value before its acquisition.
2. Michael Lynch (Disappeared on board yacht off Sicily – 19 August 2024 -presumed dead)
Role: Founder and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Autonomy.
Charges: Lynch faced charges of wire fraud, securities fraud, and conspiracy, similar to Hussain. His U.S. extradition was sought by American authorities, and he has faced legal proceedings both in the U.S. and the U.K. Lynch has denied the allegations and fought extradition, but the legal process has been ongoing.
3. Stephen Chamberlain (Deceased 17 August, 2024 – Struck by car whilst running)
Role: Former Vice President of Finance at Autonomy.
Status: Chamberlain was named in the U.S. criminal case but has not been indicted or faced trial in the U.S. as of the most recent updates. His involvement was primarily in the U.K., where he testified during the civil trial.
4. Hussain’s IT Specialist (Name often withheld in reports)
Role: An IT specialist who was implicated in assisting in manipulating Autonomy’s accounts.
Status: This individual was named in court documents but was not a central figure in the U.S. criminal case.
5. HP Executives (various)
Role: Various HP executives were involved in the civil proceedings related to the case, as HP pursued claims against former Autonomy executives for fraud.
Status: While they were not defendants in the criminal case, they were key players in the civil litigation, testifying about the acquisition process and the aftermath.
Mike Lynch – Complex Legal Case
The case has been highly complex, with both civil and criminal proceedings in the U.S. and the U.K. The primary criminal defendants have been Sushovan Hussain and Michael Lynch, with Hussain being convicted in the U.S. and Lynch facing ongoing legal battles, including extradition efforts and trials in both countries.
Mike Lynch faced a high-profile civil legal case in the UK following the sale of Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011. The case centered on HP’s accusation that Lynch, along with other Autonomy executives, engaged in fraudulent accounting practices to inflate the company’s financial performance, leading to HP overpaying for the acquisition.
The trial was one of the longest civil trials in UK history, lasting from March 2019 to January 2020, with complex testimony and detailed financial analyses presented by both sides. In January 2022, the UK High Court ruled that Lynch had indeed been involved in orchestrating a fraudulent scheme to misrepresent Autonomy’s financials. The court ordered Lynch to pay substantial damages, although the exact amount was to be determined in a separate hearing. Lynch has appealed both the civil ruling and the extradition order, arguing that the case should be decided in the UK and disputing the findings of the civil court.
The assessment of damages will occur at a subsequent date, as the judge suggested that HP’s claim of $5 billion is excessive. On the same day, the UK home secretary granted approval for Lynch’s extradition to the United States to respond to the charges presented by the grand jury.
On June 6, 2024 the global law firm Clifford Chance achieved a not-guilty verdict for their client, Dr. Mike Lynch, the former CEO of Autonomy, following a 12-week criminal trial in Federal Court. Dr. Lynch faced allegations of misleading Hewlett Packard Co. (HP) regarding Autonomy’s business and financial status prior to HP’s acquisition of the British software company for US$11.7 billion in 2011.
The ownership structure of HP (HPQ) stock is a mix of institutional, retail and individual investors. Approximately 67.11% of the company’s stock is owned by Institutional Investors, 13.75% is owned by Insiders and 19.14% is owned by Public Companies and Individual Investors.