French Biathlon Champion Julia Simon to Face Court on Fraud Charges
Albertville, France – Julia Simon, a ten-time world champion biathlete representing France, has been referred to the Albertville Criminal Court and will be tried on October 24th, facing charges of theft and fraud. The case centers around allegations that Simon used the bank card of teammate Justine Braisaz-Bouchet to make approximately €2,000 in online purchases between August and September 2022.
The referral comes despite Simon’s previous claims of identity theft, made during a police custody in October 2023, when she also filed a complaint of her own. A separate complaint was also filed by another member of the French team regarding similar fraudulent activity totaling around €20. The upcoming trial casts a shadow over Simon’s preparations for the 2026 Milan-Cortina olympic Games, with team selections scheduled to take place throughout the winter.
Simon, 28, achieved four world championship titles in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, this past February. Braisaz-Bouchet filed the initial complaint that triggered the investigation, which has now led to the biathlete being formally indicted for ”flight and school” – legal terms relating to theft and fraud. the case is being prosecuted by the Albertville public prosecutor’s office,confirming reports from Le Dauphiné libéré and France Bleu Pays de Savoie.
