West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta faces the possibility of a lengthy ban after being charged by the Football Association over alleged spot-fixing. The 26-year-old Brazilian is accused of deliberately picking up yellow cards in four Premier League matches as part of a gambling scheme.
The charges relate to games against Leicester City, Aston Villa, Leeds United in the 2022-23 season and Bournemouth in the current campaign. Suspicious betting patterns were traced to his native Paqueta Island. If found guilty, Paqueta could face a ban ranging from six months to a lifetime, with recent precedents including six-year and 12-year suspensions for similar offences.
The charges have effectively ended his proposed £85m move to Manchester City, which collapsed when the investigation emerged last August. West Ham, who signed Paqueta for a club-record £50m two years ago, have reiterated their support for the player but are reportedly furious with the FA’s timing, having been informed only 90 minutes before the public announcement.
Paqueta has denied all charges, stating: “I am extremely surprised and upset that the FA have decided to charge me. I deny the charges in their entirety and will fight with every breath to clear my name.” He has until June 3 to lodge an appeal, which may lead to a disciplinary hearing later this year.
The FA alleges Paqueta “directly sought to influence the progress, conduct, or any other aspect of these matches by intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market.” Two additional charges relate to failure to provide requested documents.
