The Dead Still Pay

Death may be final, but it’s not a free pass from legal responsibility—though throwing the deceased behind bars isn’t exactly on the table either. Hewlett Packard Enterprises (HPE) isn’t letting a tragic yacht drowning stop it from pursuing billions in damages from the estate of Mike Lynch, the British billionaire tech mogul who died alongside his daughter and five others when his luxury yacht sank off the coast of Sicily last month.

Antonio Neri, CEO of HPE, emphasized that the company has a “fiduciary duty” to its shareholders to see its lawsuit against Lynch’s estate through to the end. Lynch, often dubbed “Britain’s Bill Gates,” was embroiled in one of the UK’s most expensive legal battles after HPE accused him of fraud related to the 2011 sale of his software company, Autonomy Corporation, for $11.7 billion. The sale turned disastrous, with HPE claiming Lynch and his finance director, Sushovan Hussain, had cooked the books, leading to a massive $8.8 billion write-down.

Despite the tragic loss of life, including Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, HPE insists on pursuing the $4 billion judgment granted by a UK High Court in 2022. Neri stated, “We believe the things that took place were not in the interest of the shareholders, and we need to see it through.” The ongoing litigation has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that HPE’s pursuit of damages against a grieving family is callous, especially given its massive $33 billion market cap.

But for HPE, it’s not about sympathy—it’s about precedent. The company remains steadfast, arguing that Lynch’s alleged financial misconduct left shareholders in the lurch, and no tragic end at sea will absolve the responsibility to rectify that wrong. As Neri succinctly put it, “Once the judge proceeds, we will regroup and see what comes next.” Death might end a life, but it doesn’t necessarily end the liabilities left behind.