Billionaire Mike Lynch’s co-defendant in US fraud trial ‘died from head injuries after being hit by car as it crested bridge’ – days before tycoon lost his life in superyacht sinking
Billionaire tech tycoon Mike Lynch’s co-defendant in US fraud trial died from traumatic head injuries after being struck by a vehicle as it crested a humpback railway bridge, an inquest has heard.
Stephen Chamberlain, 52, was out on a run between Stretham and Wicken on August 17 when he was hit by a car as he started crossing the road.
The father was rushed to hospital with ‘significant’ injuries, and died there three days later.
The crash came just days before the ‘British Bill Gates‘ lost his life when his superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily.
Caroline Jones, the area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, today said her office had received a report of the mid August crash.
Stephen Chamberlain, 52, died after he was struck by a car while running on August 17
The father had faced charges of fraud and conspiracy alongside his former boss Mike Lynch – the tragic Billionaire tech tycoon
An inquest into Mr Chamberlain’s death today found he died of ‘traumatic head injuries’
She told the inquest: ‘A vehicle travelling between Stretham and Wicken on the A1123 crested a humpback bridge and was presented with a runner crossing the road from the nearside to the offside between two parts of a bridleway.’
The keen runner was left with ‘significant’ injuries.
Miss Jones said: ‘Mr Chamberlain was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge where, sadly, his death was confirmed at 3.50am on August 20.
The coroner, who opened and adjourned the inquest in Alconbury, said: ‘At the present time, the police investigation remains ongoing and so no further date has been fixed for these proceedings to resume.’
She added: ‘I extend my condolences of the family of Stephen Chamberlain.’
No family members were present.
The post-mortem examination was carried out by neuropathologist Dr Kieren Allinson on August 23.
Tech tycoon Mr Lynch died after the Bayesian superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily last month.
Mr Chamberlain was the business partner of Mike Lynch (pictured) the tech tycoon
The Bayesian (pictured earlier this year) was anchored off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, Sicily, when it sunk on August 19
Mr Chamberlain’s son Teddy asked well-wishers to complete the run he died on as a tribute to his father
Mr Chamberlain was the co-defendant in his US trial and, alongside Mr Lynch, was cleared earlier this year of conducting a massive fraud over the sale of software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011.
In the days after his death, Mr Chamberlain’s family paid tribute to their ‘much-loved husband, father, son, brother and friend’.
The loved one said in a statement: ‘He was an amazing individual whose only goal in life was to help others in any way possible.
‘He made a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
‘He will be deeply missed but forever in the hearts of his loved ones.’
Mr Chamberlain’s son Teddy also asked well-wishers to take part in the run his father never got to complete.
Teddy wrote in a public post on Strava in the days after his death: ‘We are planning to complete this run for dad, if any of you would like to pay tribute and run it with us I will keep you updated.
‘I’m sure we will make a post about the day and time at a later date. He was such an incredible man and the pain we feel is unimaginable.’
Cambridgeshire Police previously issued an appeal for witnesses after Mr Chamberlain was in collision with a blue Vauxhall Corsa car on the A1123 Newmarket Road near Stretham.
The force said the car was travelling between Stretham and Wicken when the collision happened at about 10.10am.
Police said the driver of the car, a 49-year-old woman from Haddenham, remained at the scene and was assisting with inquiries.
Gary Lincenberg, Mr Chamberlain’s lawyer, said in an earlier statement: ‘Our dear client and friend Steve Chamberlain was fatally struck by a car … while out running.
‘He was a courageous man with unparalleled integrity. We deeply miss him.
‘Steve fought successfully to clear his good name at trial earlier this year, and his good name now lives on through his wonderful family.’
HP acquired Cambridge-based Autonomy, founded by Mr Lynch in 1996, for 11 billion US dollars (£8.35 billion), but later wrote down its value by 8.8 billion US dollars (£6.68 billion) and asked the US justice department to investigate fraud.
Mr Chamberlain, a former 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 in 2018.
Both he and Mr Lynch were found not guilty of the charge in June following a trial at a federal court in San Francisco, California.