Is an Indictment Next for Lance?

News sites are reporting that former Olympic Champion road racing cyclist Tyler Hamilton told CBS news that he saw Lance Armstrong doping, using the blood boosting cancer drug EPO during the 1999 Tour de France.  As I previously reported reliable sources in the cycling world suggest that Lance is the target of a criminal investigation into wire and mail fraud relating to his use of performance-enhancing drugs. 

According to knowledgeable sources a federal indictment is imminent and will involve accusations of fraud relating to hundreds of millions of dollars.  In essence the claim will be that over the decade in which Lance dominated the sport of cycling (Armstong won the Tour de France 7 times) he fraudulently obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in sponsorship deals while representing that he and teammates with the US Postal Service were riding clean.  In one particular case Lance engaged in civil litigation resulting in his deposition during which he asserted that he did not use performance drugs.  Former lieutenant, Floyd Landis, an admitted liar contradicted Armstong's claim of riding clean.  The claims contained in the interview Tyler Hamilton, an Olympic gold medalist gave to CBS are more troubling.  At the link CBS provides a video samply for the upcoming 60 Minutes interview with Tyler Hamilton.

The problem with all the witnesses against Lance Armstrong is that thus far each witness quoted in the press--has himself engaged in prohibited performance enhancing doping.   But as we saw with Barry Bonds problematic witnesses are not a bar to obtaining a conviction for doping in sports.  Unlike Bonds, Lance is looking at something much heavier than lying about drugs, he's looking at potential decades in prison for financial fraud.