Biathlon Star Julia Simon Fined in Credit Card Fraud Case
The French biathlete Julia Simon, who was crowned champion at the 2023 World Cup, has been fined in a credit card fraud case, as reported by the Italian newspaper La Stampa. The case, which was revealed in the summer of 2023, shook the biathlon world. Accused of credit card fraud by one of her teammates on the French national team, Julia Simon was convicted by the court, according to La Stampa on June 6th. The justice system imposed a fine and damages on the skier for the incident, which sparked an investigation conducted with the Italian police.
During a training camp in Norway, fraudulent purchases were made. Two complaints were filed, one by a member of the French biathlon team staff and the other by Olympic champion Justine Braisaz-Bouchet. Julia Simon was accused of using their credit cards to make online purchases. The suspicions of fraud revolved around the purchase of high-tech products, totaling around 2,000 euros. This offense could lead to a five-year prison sentence and a fine of 375,000 euros.
Despite proclaiming her innocence and filing a counter-complaint for identity theft, Julia Simon was placed in custody at the Albertville research brigade offices. The French Ski Federation held a disciplinary meeting, but no decision was made following the meeting.
At 27 years old, Julia Simon claimed the overall crystal globe in the 2023 Biathlon World Cup. Her accolades also include six world championship titles and a silver medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.