Police Scotland have launched an investigation into allegations of fraud at stricken League One side Dumbarton.
Local directors of the 152-year-old club called in the administrators after concluding they could no longer pay the wages of players and staff earlier this week.
As Mail Sport revealed, Cognitive Capital, an English-based investment company who owns 80 per cent of the Sons, branded the decision ‘unnecessary’ and ‘reckless’ and are now seeking legal advice on how to overturn the move.
In a fresh twist, however, club chairman Neil Mackay has asked police to look into claims of alleged malpractice when Cognitive took control of the club in April 2021.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: ‘On Tuesday, 29 October, 2024, we received a report of a suspected fraud at a football club in Dumbarton. Enquiries are ongoing.’
Landed with a 15-point penalty by the SPFL after entering administration, the Sons have now slumped to the foot of League One, four points adrift of Inverness Caledonian Thistle – who are also in administration.
Speaking after the Cognitive takeover in May 2021, former director Henning Kristoffersen promised to deliver a ‘sustainable full-time team’ at Dumbarton. Just last month, however, the board were forced to appeal for help to raise £10,000 for staff and player wages.
Insisting they could no longer continue to live a hand-to-mouth existence, the club have now launched a GoFundMe fighting appeal in a bid to raise £50,000.
They claim they have had to go down this route because the club ‘was not receiving financial support from the majority shareholder or monies owed to it.’
By lunchtime on Thursday, the fund had raised over £37,000.
