FA Delivers Verdict in Lucas Paqueta Betting Scandal
West Ham United's midfielder Lucas Paquetá has been exonerated from alleged violations of FA gambling regulations, following a two-year investigation into the Brazilian player's suspected misconduct.
Paquetá faced accusations regarding his behavior during four Premier League matches spanning from November 2022 through August 2023, with allegations suggesting he deliberately received yellow cards to manipulate betting markets.
An official FA declaration stating the charges were unsubstantiated noted: "The allegations claimed that Lucas Paquetá deliberately attempted to influence the development, behavior, or any other element of, or incident in these fixtures by purposefully trying to obtain a booking from the match official for the inappropriate aim of impacting gambling markets to enable one or more individuals to gain financially from wagering.
"Lucas Paquetá rejected the accusations made against him, and the Regulatory Commission determined them to be unproven after conducting a hearing."
Nevertheless, Paquetá was still convicted of failing to cooperate with the inquiry.
"The Regulatory Commission has determined the misconduct allegations against the player for supposed violations of FA Rule F3 to be substantiated," the declaration added.
"Lucas Paquetá was accused of two violations of FA Rule F3 concerning alleged failures to fulfill his duties to respond to inquiries and supply information to The FA's investigation.
"Lucas Paquetá contested the accusations against him, however the Regulatory Commission determined them to be substantiated after the hearing. The Regulatory Commission will determine a suitable penalty for these violations as soon as possible."
Paquetá transferred to West Ham from Lyon during summer 2022, after previously facing difficulties when he initially moved to Europe to join AC Milan three years prior. His performance was so outstanding in his debut Premier League campaign that a substantial transfer to Manchester City seemed likely when the FA began investigating his conduct, which eventually disrupted those plans.