Mike Lynch, former chief exec of Autonomy, has reportedly lost in London's Westminster Magistrates' Court an early stage of his fight against extradit

Autonomy founder Mike Lynch loses first stage in fight against extradition to US

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2021-07-22 16:00:07

Mike Lynch, former chief exec of Autonomy, has reportedly lost in London's Westminster Magistrates' Court an early stage of his fight against extradition from the UK to the US.

District Judge Michael Snow is said to have announced his decision at a virtual hearing earlier this afternoon, also handing down a written judgment.

One of Lynch's public relations advisers confirmed the news to The Register, which is also being reported on subscription-only legal newswire Law360.

The loss is at a very early stage in the case. It will now go to the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, for her to approve (or reject) the request. Lynch's route of appeal then goes to the High Court.

The surprising ruling came despite statements in court earlier this year that the outcome of the extradition case would be put on ice until the High Court delivers its ruling in HPE's long-running civil fraud case against Lynch. The IT exec's barrister, Alex Bailin QC, had told Westminster Magistrates' Court: "This court has agreed to wait for the outcome of the civil trial before making its decision," to which the judge agreed.

Lynch's solicitor Chris Morvillo of Clifford Chance said in a statement today: "Dr Lynch is disappointed that the court has ruled against him without waiting for the High Court's judgment in the civil case that examined all these issues. Dr Lynch denies the charges against him. At the request of the US Department of Justice, the court has ruled that a British citizen who ran a British company listed on the London Stock Exchange should be extradited to America over allegations about his conduct in the UK."

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