Police investigate suspected fraud at Dumbarton

Dumbarton have incurred a 15-point penalty and are now bottom of League One while a five-point penalty will also be applied next season

Police have confirmed they are investigating a report of suspected fraud in relation to Dumbarton, the Scottish League One club that entered administration this week.

Ian Wright, managing director of administrators Quantuma, said on Tuesday the Sons' administration was the result of "non-receipt of significant funds" owed from the sale of land in 2021.

They are the second Scottish League One club after Inverness Caledonian Thistle to enter administration this season.

"On Tuesday, 29 October 2024, we received a report of a suspected fraud at a football club in Dumbarton. Inquiries are ongoing," a Police Scotland spokesperson said.

Wright told BBC Sport Scotland: "People have told us a lot of things that have been done by a lot of people.

"We haven't started looking for anything yet. We will just wait and see and when the noise calms down we will try and establish some facts.

"I know they [police] are looking into some transactions that went on and some documentation prior to the administration.

"I don't really know much more than that. I certainly haven't been contacted by them or been able to be in touch with them yet."

Founded in 1872, Dumbarton are one of Scotland's oldest football clubs and won the top-flight title in the late 19th Century.

Wright said "the club had no money on Friday" and as they were in arrears to certain creditors and required external cash to pay October's wages, the directors "were left with no option other than to appoint administrators".

Dumbarton, about 25% of which is owned by fans and about 75% by a company called Cognitive Capital Limited, run at a monthly loss and have a large loan from a lender as well as a significant bill owed to a utility provider.

However Wright, who estimated the club's unsecured debts are £300,000, said there are no plans to make any redundancies as a result of the support shown in the last 24 hours from fans.

"The club's Trust created a 'GoFundMe' page and by Wednesday night it had raised enough to pay November's wages.

"Within 24 hours of meeting the players, to be able to go back to the players and say we have the money to pay them this month was brilliant."