Kane Hester is facing a lengthy ban from playing after being accused of betting on football.
The striker, who joined Montrose this summer from Elgin City, has been hit with a Scottish FA notice of complaint alleging offences in five seasons from 2014 to 2019.
The SFA charges were put on hold while Hester dealt with a recent court case.
The 27-year-old was cleared at Dundee Sheriff Court in March of defrauding a bookmaker.
Kane Hester accused of breaching betting rule
However, after investigations made by the SFA following the end of the court case, the former Arbroath and Albion Rovers marksman has been accused of breaching the governing body’s disciplinary rule 31.
It states that “no club, official, team official or other member of team staff, player, match official or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA shall gamble in any way on a football match.”
It is alleged that Hester placed bets “on multiple occasions between 13 August 2014 and 27 April 2019, both dates inclusive.”
The sanctions available to the SFA for players range from a three-match suspension at the lowest end to the maximum of “expulsion from participation in the game.”
Earlier this month, the English FA banned Brentford striker Ivan Toney from playing for eight months for a catalogue of betting breaches.
However, it is thought more likely that Hester will land a punishment somewhere in the region of eight to 12 games.
The prolific forward signed a three-year deal with hometown team Montrose earlier this month for a record fee after asking Elgin, where he scored 84 goals in 160 games, for a transfer.
He faces a Hampden hearing on June 15.
