Floyd Landis on his stage-winning ride in the 2006 Tour de France.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Floyd Landis during his 2007 doping case.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Shades of Paris 2005. Lance Armstrong (RadioShack) addresses the crowd.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Johan Bruyneel introduces the RadioShack-Nissan team(Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Sources have told Cyclingnews that former professional cyclist Floyd Landis is under investigation by US Federal authorities. Landis could face charges of fraud dating back to 2007. In 2006 the American won the Tour de France but tested positive for testosterone after an epic stage win to Morzine. He was stripped of his Tour de France title and despite several attempted comebacks failed to ride in the European peloton again.
In 2010 Landis made several allegations of organised doping against his former team US Postal, its leader Lance Armstrong and team manager Johan Bruyneel. The allegations were denied and a subsequent federal investigation failed to raise any charges. Landis’s claims had been substantiated by former US Postal rider Tyler Hamilton in a 2011 documentary by 60 Minutes.
The federal investigation into Armstrong and the US Postal team collapsed this year when United States Attorney Andre Birotte Jr stated his office "is closing an investigation into allegations of federal criminal conduct by members and associates of a professional bicycle racing team owned in part by Lance Armstrong."
The news surrounding a possible federal case against Landis dates back to 2007, when in January of that year he set up the Floyd Fairness Fund. The fund was set up to accept donations to Landis’ legal case as he sought to clear his name. Landis was believed to have raised about $1 million in donations but Cyclingnews understands that the true figure was less than $300,000. In 2010, after his subsequent confession Landis said that he would try and pay back the kindness extended to him once he had the sufficient funds.
Cyclingnews understands that a Grand Jury in San Diego may charge him with fraud and that Landis has been notified by FBI agents.
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Daniel Benson was the Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews.com between 2008 and 2022. Based in the UK, he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.
