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Former Rangers star embroiled in money laundering investigation in his homeland

Former Rangers star embroiled in money laundering investigation in his homeland

Former Rangers left-back Borna Barišić is under investigation in Croatia as part of a money-laundering probe, according to reports first detailed by Croatian outlet 24sata and relayed by the Daily Record.

Croatia’s Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK), working with police, is examining suspicions of money extraction and laundering linked to a group from the Čepin area near Osijek. 

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Barišić’s home was among those searched.

The money-laundering probe is said to be separate from a parallel investigation into a disputed 2025 land swap between Čepin municipality and the Albatros group. That deal is alleged to have caused the municipality a loss of nearly €500,000. 

Stipe Barišić, Borna’s father, (known as “Moljac”), is among those linked to the land-related inquiries.

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The alleged scheme involving Borna Barišić

According to unofficial information reported by 24sata, the primary suspect in this branch is Pero Dugandžić, a retired policeman and owner of the security firm Noky Security.

Investigators believe Dugandžić, with help from business associates extracted money from another of his companies.

Barišić is alleged to have played a role in the process with Dugandžić said to have given him cash, after which Barišić transferred equivalent sums back to one of the business entities.

These transfers were recorded in the company’s books as loans from Barišić.

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Investigators are treating the case as possible extraction and laundering of money. 

No formal charges against Barišić have been publicly confirmed.

Borna’s six years at Rangers

Borna Barišić signed for Rangers under Steven Gerrard in 2018 and went on to serve the club over six years, playing a key role in the team that won the Scottish Premiership in 2021 and reaching the Europa League final one year later. 

After leaving the club in the summer of 2024, he went on to play for Trabzonspor in Turkey and a brief injury-disrupted stint in Spain with Leganes before returning to Osijek.

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Graeme Hanna is the site lead of Read Rangers and also writes about West Ham for Read West Ham. A Rangers season-ticket holder and freelance writer, he has previously written for Vital Rangers, Rangers Review, Football Ground Guide and Give Me Sport, and has a long association with the Follow Follow fanzine.

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