Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport

A football agent representing a number of big-name players has allegedly took part in a multi-million money laundering scheme in Spain.

Football agent Fali Ramadani was investigated along with five others including former FK Partizan goalkeeper Nikola Damjanac, 48, for participating in a money-laundering scheme which committed tax evasion, according to local media.

The agents reportedly bought luxury homes on the Spanish island of Majorca and laundered over 10 million EUR ( 8.4 million GBP) before they were caught.

Local media said the agents were able to carry out money laundering activities through a complex corporate framework of which top-flight Cypriot club Apollon Limassol FC had an important role, however it is unclear what it was.

The investigation was carried out by the Spanish Civil Guard, however they received assistance by Europol and the Spanish Tax Agency.

The Spanish Civil Guard obtained documents on the transfers of several players in La Liga who were represented by Ramadani at the time, including former Manchester City striker Stevan Jovetic, 30, Chelsea on-loan midfielder Charly Musonda, 23, former Blackburn Rovers striker Nikola Kalinic, 32, Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso, 29, and Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic, 22.

Spanish newspaper ‘El Pais’ said that, according to “sources”, neither the “clubs which have been asked for the documents nor the footballers who were represented by the now imputed are implicated in the alleged irregularities.”

The investigation, dubbed ‘Operation Lanigan’, started in 2017 after Ramadani and his partner bought an apartment, a luxury chalet and land to build a home in the neighbourhood of Calvia on the Spanish island.

The two used a complicated corporate network to keep the owners of the properties hidden, however investigators were able to follow the money which allegedly links the agents to a criminal organisation.

Ramadani will reportedly have to make a statement at a National Hearing in the Spanish capital of Madrid, although it is unclear when.

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