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An Italian doctor linked to Lance Armstrong, is at the centre of investigations into an alleged multi-million doping and money laundering ring, Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport reported Thursday.
Police are looking at illegal transfers of cash amounting to some 15 million euros (21.6 million dollars) into Swiss bank accounts held by Doctor Michele Ferrari, Gazzetta dello Sport said.
Until 2004, Ferrari was involved with US Postal Service Cycling Team and reportedly assisted in preparing seven-time Tour de France champion Armstrong during several of the US rider's Tour victories.
A US federal grand jury probe is currently looking into whether Armstrong was involved in an organized doping operation while he was a member of the team between 1999 and 2004.
Writing in Gazzetta, the newspaper's chief cycling reporter, Luca Gialanella, suggested that the Italian part of the investigation has yielded evidence that could possibly lead to charges including money laundering, conspiracy and tax fraud.
According to Gialanella, some 100 people are involved in the investigation, including cyclists' agents who offered their clients services that included Swiss lawyers and Swiss bank accounts.
Led by Padova magistrate Benedetto Roberti, the Italian investigators are working closely with the US investigation which is headed by Jeff Novitsky of the US Food and Drug Administration, Gialanella said.
In February Armstrong announced his second retirement from competitive cycling. Although he has never tested positive to doping, there has been ongoing speculation that he used doping for at least some of his success.
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1634442.php/Armstrong-linked-doctor-in-alleged-multi-million-euro-doping-ring
Police are looking at illegal transfers of cash amounting to some 15 million euros (21.6 million dollars) into Swiss bank accounts held by Doctor Michele Ferrari, Gazzetta dello Sport said.
Until 2004, Ferrari was involved with US Postal Service Cycling Team and reportedly assisted in preparing seven-time Tour de France champion Armstrong during several of the US rider's Tour victories.
A US federal grand jury probe is currently looking into whether Armstrong was involved in an organized doping operation while he was a member of the team between 1999 and 2004.
Writing in Gazzetta, the newspaper's chief cycling reporter, Luca Gialanella, suggested that the Italian part of the investigation has yielded evidence that could possibly lead to charges including money laundering, conspiracy and tax fraud.
According to Gialanella, some 100 people are involved in the investigation, including cyclists' agents who offered their clients services that included Swiss lawyers and Swiss bank accounts.
Led by Padova magistrate Benedetto Roberti, the Italian investigators are working closely with the US investigation which is headed by Jeff Novitsky of the US Food and Drug Administration, Gialanella said.
In February Armstrong announced his second retirement from competitive cycling. Although he has never tested positive to doping, there has been ongoing speculation that he used doping for at least some of his success.
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1634442.php/Armstrong-linked-doctor-in-alleged-multi-million-euro-doping-ring
