She was wealthy, yet she still defrauded and stole from her teammates. Now new details are emerging — but one question remains: why did she do it?

Biathlon star Julia Simon has admitted to misusing the credit card of her French national team colleague, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, spending a considerable amount and committing two additional cases of fraud between 2021 and 2022.

Until recently, Simon had denied all accusations. But in court in Albertville on Friday, the 29-year-old confessed. Investigators had found clear evidence supporting the charges, along with several additional cases and victims.

On October 24, Simon was sentenced to a suspended prison term and fined €15,000. However, the court received few answers about why she did it.

Read More: Biathlon star confesses to fraud – Suspended prison sentence and fine

Over €320,000 in her bank account

At the time the frauds were committed, Simon reportedly had more than €320,000 in her bank account, indicating that financial need was not the motive.

“A black hole”

Simon told the court she still cannot explain her actions.

“I can’t explain it. I withdrew and denied it, and I can’t remember it,” Simon said in court.

“I’ve been working with my psychologist for three years to understand this, but we still haven’t managed to. It’s like I have a black hole. I had no financial motivation for this. It was stupid — simply stupid — because I didn’t need it.”

Credit card misuse

According to French media, Simon used her teammate’s credit card to make several online purchases.

The first was a VPN subscription for €91, followed by GoPro equipment worth over €2,400, delivered to her home in France.

She was also accused of using the national team physiotherapist’s card to buy small items worth around €25 on Shein, attempting to order €375 worth of clothes from Zalando, and stealing a €20 note in cash.

Teammates report missing belongings

Other teammates also told police that money or personal items had disappeared when Simon was present.

“Sisters Anaïs and Chloé Chevalier noticed personal belongings and a €50 note were missing. Caroline Colombo reported missing cash, and Lou Jeanmonnot said items had disappeared when sharing a room with Simon,” the French Biathlon Federation stated.

None of them has filed formal complaints.

Possible major consequences

The French Ski Federation (FFS) said it “takes note of the verdict” and will convene its disciplinary committee to determine further action.

According to FFS regulations, possible sanctions range from a warning to suspension, or even dismissal from the national team. In the worst case, Simon could be barred from competing at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina.

Background of the case

The frauds occurred between 2021 and 2022 and were reported by Justine Braisaz-Bouchet in January 2023 after she discovered unauthorized purchases made with her card. Police investigations traced the transactions to Simon’s residence.

Simon was arrested in October 2023 and questioned, but continued to deny the allegations until this week’s court hearing in Albertville, where she confessed to all charges.

The court sentenced her to three months of suspended prison and a €15,000 fine. Her lawyer has requested that her criminal record entry be removed, as she is employed by the French customs service and hopes to remain in her position.

The French Ski Federation will now assess the case from a disciplinary standpoint before deciding on further measures.

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