Patel to delay Mike Lynch extradition as she pauses US fraud charges
The Home Office has delayed the extradition of British businessman Mike Lynch, which means he will temporarily avoid a string of fraud charges in the US.
Lynch, who founded software firm Autonomy, is reportedly allowed a two month reprieve on his charges of 17 counts of fraud from US prosecutors relating to Automony’s billion-pound sale.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Extensions for making a decision on any given case can be made under the Extradition Act 2003. The Home Secretary is giving full consideration to the issues raised in this case.”
A British court ruled in July that Lynch could in fact be extradited to the US to face his charges.
Lynch’s legal team said that he is “disappointed” in the court’s ruling at the time.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has delayed her verdict on whether to approve Lynch’s extradition until November 29, following campaigning from former ministers, including David Davis, who had called for her to extend the deadline until the outcome of a civil trial, according to reports.
Computer company HP has alleged that Lynch fraudulently inflated the value of Autonomy before its sale in 2011 for around £8.1bn. Lynch has denied any wrongdoing.