Lance Armstrong has already endured a stunning fall from grace in the public eye, and the loss of most of his sponsorships and revenue streams. Now, whatever money he may have left is being eyed by the U.S. Postal Service, the major sponsor of Armstrong’s cycling team from 1996 until 2005.
Late Tuesday, the U.S. Justice Department formally filed its lawsuit against Armstrong, reports CNN. Due to the statute of limitations, the government had until the end of Tuesday to file the suit.
“The USPS paid approximately $40 million to sponsor the USPS cycling team from 1998 to 2004,” says the court document.
However, the government is seeking nearly three times that figure under the False Claims Act, more than $100 million, from Armstrong. Essentially, the government is alleging that Armstrong’s now-admitted use of performance-enhancing drugs during his seven Tour de France wins represents a breach of contract between Armstrong and the Postal Service.
The suit also names Armstrong’s company, Tailwind Sports, and team manager Johan Bruyneel as defendants.
