The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word CREDITORS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Sunday Telegraph
C
R
E
D
I
T
O
R
S
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "those owed money" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case those owed money = creditors.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does CREDITORS mean?
CREDITORS noun- A person to whom a debt is owed.
- One who gives credence to something; a believer.