A few months ago, Mike Lynch, a wealthy British tech boss, walked out of a U.S. courtroom a free man. He had just won one of the biggest fraud cases in history, where he was accused of misleading Hewlett-Packard in a £8.64 billion deal. Lynch, who had been living under house arrest and wearing an electronic tag, was on the brink of a 25-year prison sentence. But against all odds, he was found not guilty.

Lynch, who’s sometimes called "Britain’s Bill Gates," had feared he might die in prison. When he was cleared of all charges, he was overwhelmed with relief. He described it as being given a "second life" and was eager to embrace this new beginning. To celebrate, he threw a lavish party on his £30 million superyacht, the Bayesian.

But this second chance turned out to be a cruel twist of fate. Just weeks after his acquittal, the Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily in a freak accident. A powerful waterspout hit the yacht, which led to the tragic sinking. Lynch, his 18-year-ol...