Ex-Aston Villa Striker Imprisoned for Financial Support Debt

A former Premier League striker, Bosko Balaban, has been sentenced to one year in jail after failing to pay £70,000 in financial support to his ex-wife, Iva Radic. Radic, who was named Miss Croatia in 1995, was married to Balaban for over a decade before their divorce in 2017. Despite a conditional sentence and probation, Balaban was imprisoned in January 2022 for not adhering to the payment schedule.

No Escape from Prison Even If Debt Is Paid

The court in Zagreb, Croatia, gave Balaban the sentence and stated that he would still be jailed even if he paid the overdue money. The 45-year-old former center-forward is most known for his time at Club Brugge, where he scored 58 goals in 118 appearances. Balaban had a brief stint at Aston Villa and later returned to Dinamo Zagreb on loan.

From Football to Agent

After retiring from professional football, Balaban became an agent, representing players such as former Leicester star Andrej Kramaric. Meanwhile, Radic, with 113,000 Instagram followers, continues to post glamorous snaps online and has worked with fashion brands Paco Rabanne, H&M, and Chanel.

Antique Vase Heist Involving Former West Ham Player

In a separate incident, a former West Ham player, Kaine Wright, was involved in an undercover police sting related to the attempted sale of a stolen antique vase worth £1.9 million. Wright, along with accomplices Leslie Nkhwa and David Lamming, tried to sell the vase for £1 million but eventually dropped the price to £450,000 in cash. The trio was convicted of conspiracy to convert criminal property and received jail sentences.