West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta has been cleared of spot-fixing after a two-year investigation by the Football Association.
Mail Sport broke the story of the FA’s probe back in August 2023 when it was suspected that he had been purposefully picking up yellow cards in order to influence betting markets.
That led to Paqueta being charged in May 2024 with four counts of spot‑fixing – related to cautions shown in Premier League fixtures against Leicester City, Aston Villa, Leeds United, and Bournemouth – and a further two of obstructing an FA investigation.
Alongside that charge sheet was believed to be a recommendation that he receive a life ban if found guilty.
It turned into one of the most high-profile corruption cases ever seen in English football but now the Brazilian star has been cleared of the major charge, though the FA said there were ‘two breaches of FA Rule F3 in relation to alleged failures to comply with his obligations to answer questions and provide information’ that he could still face punishment for.
A West Ham statement read: ‘West Ham United can confirm that an independent Regulatory Commission has cleared Lucas Paquetá of misconduct charges made against him by the Football Association for alleged breaches of FA rule E5. The Club has stood by Lucas since the very start of a long and difficult process.
West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta has been cleared of spot-fixing after a two-year investigation
Paqueta posted this picture of him with his wife Maria Fournier after being cleared
Paqueta had been charged with purposefully picking up yellow cards in order to influence betting markets – with four counts of spot‑fixing and a further two of obstructing an FA investigation
West Ham United Vice-Chair Karren Brady added: ‘We are pleased Lucas has been cleared. He has maintained his innocence from the outset, and as a Club we have resolutely stood by him and supported him throughout the process.
‘Despite the incredible pressure on him, Lucas has performed week in and week out for the Club, always giving everything. It has been a difficult time for Lucas and his family, but he has remained absolutely professional throughout and he is now looking forward to drawing a line under this episode, as is everyone at West Ham United.’
And Paquetá himself said: ‘Since the first day of this investigation, I have maintained my innocence against these extremely serious accusations. I can’t say anything more at this time, but I would like to express how grateful I am to God and how eager I am to return to playing football with a smile on my face.
‘To my wife who never let go of my hand, to West Ham United, to the fans who always cheered me on, and to my family, friends and the legal team who have supported me – thank you for everything.’
He also posted on social media: ‘THE ENEMIES WILL COME AGAINST US BY ONE PATH, BUT BY SEVEN PATHS THEY WILL FLEE. A complete work, for the glory and honour of God.’
The FA released a statement saying: ‘Lucas Paqueta was charged with two breaches of FA Rule F3 in relation to alleged failures to comply with his obligations to answer questions and provide information to The FA’s investigation.
‘Lucas Paqueta denied the charges against him, but the Regulatory Commission found them to be proven following the hearing. The Regulatory Commission will decide an appropriate sanction for these breaches at the earliest opportunity.’
Paqueta could therefore still face some form of punishment as Rule F3 of the FA’s rules of association says: ‘Any failure by a Participant to comply with any requirement under Rule F2 may constitute Misconduct under the Rules and The Association may bring a charge or such charges as it sees fit.’
The announcement of Paqueta’s innocence of the serious charges came just hours after he had broken his social media silence for the first time in six months.
Paqueta broke his social media silence after scoring for West Ham against Everton just hours before the verdict was announced
Despite him being cleared, the process has been of some torment to the Brazilian midfielder
The Hammers are furious with how the FA allowed their investigation to drag on for so long
The midfielder scored in a friendly against Everton in the US on Wednesday night and celebrated by pointing to the sky before later sharing the image alongside the word ‘God’ and a heart emoji.
The Hammers have been furious with how the FA allowed their investigation to drag on for so long, leaving Graham Potter’s side unsure about one of their star players until three weeks before the season starting.
Despite his occasional inconsistency, Paqueta is considered one of West Ham’s best players, as a special type of talent who can turn a game in their favour.
It was his assist for Jarrod Bowen which saw them beat Fiorentina in the Conference League final in Prague in June 2023, marking their first major trophy in 43 years.
His manager for that triumph was David Moyes, the now-Everton boss who Mail Sport revealed even acted as a witness in a significant section of his defence against the FA’s claims.
Sources close to Paqueta say it has been a tormenting time for him personally. The yellow he received against Leicester, on November 12, 2022, was nearly 1,000 days ago.
Ever since learning that he was being investigated, the 27-year-old strenuously insisted he is innocent and West Ham have supported him through it all.
West Ham will be delighted to put the saga behind them so Graham Potter and Co can move on
Paqueta pictured at West Ham’s London Stadium with his wife Maria , who admitted the couple have been ‘living this nightmare for two years’ in an emotional statement in May
The standard of proof was based on a ‘balance of probabilities’ – as in civil law cases – as opposed to the more rigorous ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ threshold in criminal proceedings.
Paqueta has been a key player for West Ham since signing from Lyon for a club-record £51million in 2022.
He was all set to sign for Manchester City in £80m move in 2023 until it emerged that he was being investigated due to suspicious betting patterns surrounding his bookings.
It is understood West Ham passed that information to City, who withdrew their interest.
The Hammers are now willing to sanction an exit for Paqueta at a fee of around £30m and Brazilian side Flamengo are among those interested.
