Yacht sinks: Missing tech billionaire's co-defendant died in car crash days before Italy disaster
A co-defendant of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch was killed in England after being struck by a car just days before Lynch and five others went missing when a luxury superyacht sank off the coast of Italy on Monday, authorities confirmed Tuesday.
Divers brought two bodies in bags ashore from the yacht Wednesday, and two other bodies were found in the wreckage, The Associated Press reports, citing an Italian official. It was unclear whose bodies were found.
Stephen Chamberlain, 52, was a former Autonomy Corp. executive who was acquitted alongside Lynch in June of charges in a multibillion-dollar fraud case related to Hewlett Packard’s $11 billion takeover of Lynch’s company.
Chamberlain "was fatally struck by a car on Saturday while out running" in Cambridgeshire, his lawyer Gary Lincenberg said in a statement.
"He was a courageous man with unparalleled integrity. We deeply miss him," Lincenberg said. "Steve fought successfully to clear his good name at trial earlier this year, and his good name now lives on through his wonderful family."
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Chamberlain, formerly a vice president of finance at the company, was accused of artificially inflating Autonomy’s revenues and making false and misleading statements to auditors, analysts and regulators.
Chamberlain’s family released a statement through Cambridgeshire Police, saying he "was a much-loved husband, father, son, brother and friend."
"He was an amazing individual whose only goal in life was to help others in any way possible," the statement said.
Police said the driver, a 49-year-old woman, remained at the scene in the village of Stretham, England, and was assisting with the investigation.
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The strange coincidence of Chamberlain’s death occurred just days before Lynch and five others, including Christopher Morvillo, one of Lynch’s lawyers who defended him in the fraud case, and Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer, who testified in Lynch’s defense, went missing when the Bayesian superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily early Monday.
The other three people still missing are believed to be Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter Hannah, Bloomer’s wife Neda, and Morvillo’s wife Judy.
Ten crew members and 12 passengers, including British, American and Canadian nationals were onboard when the vessel capsized. One man's body was recovered, identified as onboard chef Recaldo Thomas, an Antiguan citizen. Fifteen people were rescued, including a 1-year-old girl, authorities said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.