Versailles (France) (AFP) – Prosecutors have called for former France international Thomas Lombard to be jailed for six-months and fined 15,000 euros ($17,700) for claiming unemployment benefit whilst also working as a television pundit.
Prosecutors in Versailles asked a judge Monday to punish the 42-year-old who as a player won the French Top 14 title four times for defrauding the French social security system.
The judge will now hear the case for the defence before handing down a judgement.
The prosecution allege Lombard earned 130,000 euros from French social security between December 2008 and November 2010 whilst also working for French TV station Canal+.
The prosecution assert that Lombard was eligible for the unemployment benefit, but believe he hid his role as a tv pundit.
The player, who won French top flight titles as a centre with Stade Francais in 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2004, insists the matter is an oversight.
The prosecutor has also asked for a 150,000 euros fine for the television company for breaches in French employment laws, saying the ex-player should have been on a full time contract and not paid by the day.
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