Elon Musk and JK Rowling could face up to five years in prison or a £214,000 fine if Imane Khelif wins the cyberbullying lawsuit she has filed in Paris after the Olympics, where she was relentlessly called a man online. Elon Musk and JK Rowling were named when Imane Khelif filed a cyberbullying lawsuit against X in Paris this week – and could face prison if the lawsuit is won by the boxer.

According to the Daily Mail, if Imane Khelif is successful with her lawsuit the repercussion for cyberbullying under French law are prison sentences ranging between two to five years or fines between £26,000 and £39,000. If parties are found guilty instead of online hate speech, the fines can range from £69,000 to £214,000.

Nabil Boudi, Khelif’s Paris attorney, has explained that the lawsuit is filed against X itself, which “ensure[s] that the ‘prosecution has all the latitude to be able to investigate against all people,” including anyone hiding behind a fake name or an anonymous account – to make sure that everyone can be investigated for any cyber attack on Khelif and her gender.

The International Olympic Committee backed Imane Khelif fully when she found herself in a huge controversy that saw prominent figures like JK Rowling, Elon Musk and Donald Trump claim she was a man. The IOC said “scientifically, this is not a man fighting a woman” and it has been proven that she was born female, and does not identify as intersex as others have claimed. JK Rowling posted a picture of Imane Khelif after her defeat of Italian boxer Angela Carini to her millions of followers saying Khelif was “enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head.”

But what does this Imane Khelif lawsuit mean for those prominent figures like JK Rowling who aren’t French residents? Boudi explained that the lawsuit could have international implications for those outside France, explaining “it could target personalities overseas,” and pointing out that “the prosecutor’s office for combating online hate speech has the possibility to make requests for mutual legal assistance with other countries.”

Boudi also said: “What we’re asking is that the prosecution investigates not only these people but whoever it feels necessary. If the case goes to court, they will stand trial.”

The Tab approached representatives of JK Rowling and they declined to comment on the matter.