The US government could pursue other targets alongside ex-Autonomy CFO Sushovan Hussain at it probes the Cambridge company's $11bn take-over by Hewlett Packard.

Hussain appeared in court in San Francisco yesterday to deny charges that he falsely inflated the price of the company prior to the deal in 2011.

According to Bloomberg , papers filed to the court by prosecutors this week state that the US “continues to investigate the involvement of other persons and the possibility of other offenses arising from the facts and circumstances of this case.”

However, presiding judge Charles Breyer said this would not delay Hussain's trial, and lawyers will return to the courtroom on May 10 to set a trial date.

Hussain, who apparently travelled to the US voluntarily for the hearing, denies any wrong-doing. HP brought Autonomy in 2011, but a year later wrote down $8.8bn from its value. Hussain and Autonomy founder Mike Lynch are already facing court proceedings from HP, who filed a $5.1bn lawsuit against the pair last year, alleging fraud. Lynch and his former colleagues immediately launched a counter-action, claiming HP has embarked on a 'smear campaign' against them. These cases are likely to be heard in the High Court in 2018.

HP disposed of the former Autonomy business last year, when it was sold to British firm Micro Focus as part of an $8.8bn deal for all of HP’s software assets.