Lucas Paqueta, a midfielder for West Ham and a Brazilian international, has been indicted by the Football Association. The charges allege that he intentionally got himself booked to manipulate the betting market.
The charges stem from four matches: a Premier League match against Leicester City on November 12, 2022, and games in 2023 against Aston Villa on March 12, Leeds United on May 21, and Bournemouth on August 12.
The 26-year-old has been under scrutiny since last summer due to suspicious betting activity. The FA alleges that Paqueta intentionally sought to influence the outcome of these matches by deliberately receiving a card from the referee. This was allegedly done to manipulate the betting market and enable one or more individuals to profit from betting.
Paqueta, who transferred to West Ham from Lyon for an initial fee of £36.5m in August 2022, expressed shock and dismay at the charges. He stated, “I have cooperated fully with the investigation for the past nine months and provided all the information I could. I categorically deny all the charges and will fight tirelessly to clear my name.”
In addition to these charges, Paqueta is also facing two breaches of FA Rule F3 for alleged failures to comply with FA Rule F2, which pertains to the provision of information and documents.
The charges were announced on the same day that West Ham confirmed the appointment of Julen Lopetegui as their new head coach, following David Moyes’ departure. West Ham has stated that they will continue to support Paqueta throughout the process.
Paqueta, who has been selected for Brazil’s Copa America squad next month, has until June 3 to respond to the misconduct charge related to alleged breaches of FA Rules E5 and F3, unless an extension is requested.
The case will be judged on its own merits, and if a breach is proven, Paqueta could face a significant suspension.