A Premier League star faces the possibility of a lifetime ban as more details about his case have come to light. West Ham midfielder Lucas Paquetá is currently under a lengthy investigation by the FA, following charges related to alleged breaches of rules E5 and F3.
The case focuses on suspicious betting activity tied to four yellow cards Paquetá received during Premier League matches against Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Leeds, and Leicester City. Paquetá is accused of deliberately getting booked, and it was later revealed that an unusually high number of bets were placed on yellow cards in Brazil, his home country.
Around 60 bets, ranging from £7 to £400, were made, with total winnings amounting to £100,000. Paquetá, who previously played for Lyon and AC Milan, has denied any wrongdoing and cooperated by handing over his mobile phone to the FA for investigation.
The FA retained his phone for around eight weeks, during which they examined his call and message history, as well as his bank records. After receiving the phone back, Paquetá reportedly replaced it with a new one and discarded the old device, which has caused further complications in the investigation.
According to The Sun, Paquetá’s inability to provide the old phone when requested by the FA has led to additional charges of obstructing the investigation, resulting in two aggravated breaches of FA Rule F3.
Despite the ongoing investigation, Paquetá has continued playing for West Ham, even scoring in a recent 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town. His hearing is scheduled for March, with a resolution not expected until the summer.
While Paquetá is likely to remain available for the rest of the 2024/25 season, the FA views the alleged offenses as particularly severe and is reportedly pushing for a lifetime ban.
