Paqueta - Latest news

[Alan]

"Sport Bible New report on Lucas Paqueta's spot-fixing charges reveals how much of next season West Ham star can play There has been an update on Paqueta's case. Alex Brotherton Lucas Paqueta will be free to play for West Ham for most of next season despite facing spot-fixing charges. Paqueta has been charged by the Football Association with four separate instances of spot-fixing. The 28-year-old stands accused of deliberately getting himself booked during four Premier League matches. It is one of the most serious cases of spot-fixing involving a top-flight player in England, and could land Paqueta with a lengthy ban. However, the Brazil international can continue to play until the disciplinary process has been completed. According to The Times, the outcome of the process could be delayed until the end of the 2024-25 season or beyond. That is due to the complexity of the case; Paqueta's lawyers say it will take many months to secure all the witness statements and relevant information they need for their defence. That's because the case spans three countries - England, Brazil and Spain - and involves a large number of people. The charges allege that Paqueta got himself booked during matches against Leicester City, Aston Villa, Leeds United and Bournemouth over the past two seasons so that “one or more persons” could profit financially. The investigation that preceded the charges took eight months. In September 2023, Brazilian outlet Globo reported that suspicious gambling patterns were identified in Brazil relating to Paqueta being booked against Aston Villa in March that year. The bets were reportedly made using West Ham's shirt sponsor Betway, via accounts belonging to people linked to Paqueta. The FA initially gave the player until June 3 to respond to the charges, but his lawyers were granted an extension. English football's governing body has refused to put a timescale on the case. Paqueta has been linked with a move to Brazilian giants Flamengo this summer, but this latest development will give encouragement to new West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui that he can use the midfielderthis season."

[scott_d]

Hope he gets 100% vindicated and him and the club pile in for massive damages.

One less thing at the club to moan about.

What's not to like?

Plus we get the Paqueta from before this all came out, the one Man City were willing to spend 85m on. 

Win win.

[Mike Oxsaw]

Hope he gets 100% vindicated and him and the club pile in for massive damages.

One less thing at the club to moan about.

What's not to like?

[Manuel]

 

It could even be something silly and completely innocent like he’s rang his dad and been in a bad mood and his dad has said ‘he’s definitely going to get booked today’ and had a flutter with a few of his mates or family.
 

 

This is the 2nd time I've been on this website in about 15 years but THIS. This is something I've thought all along. I've used the example previously of him complaining to his mum that "Moyes is putting me on the wing again FFS" - or something similar and probably in Brazilian.
Either way the resulting thought from his mother could be that she knows her son is frustrated and told somebody else this information and a group of locals who know him very well thought they'd have a couple of quid on what is generally speaking a pretty good bet anyway.

Without proof, such as phone calls of chat logs, there's no way they can unequivocally determine he's got them intentionally.

If they had that, this would've been shut by now. Looking forward to the responding counter claim £££ (and more importantly a focused Lucas)

Yea that would be it, his old man detected he was in a bad mood so guessed he'd go in for a sliding tackle the next time he played and get booked so he put a bet on in the hope to win few few quid. Genius.

[TheOriginalBraderz]

 

It could even be something silly and completely innocent like he’s rang his dad and been in a bad mood and his dad has said ‘he’s definitely going to get booked today’ and had a flutter with a few of his mates or family.
 

 

 

This is the 2nd time I've been on this website in about 15 years but THIS. This is something I've thought all along. I've used the example previously of him complaining to his mum that "Moyes is putting me on the wing again FFS" - or something similar and probably in Brazilian.
Either way the resulting thought from his mother could be that she knows her son is frustrated and told somebody else this information and a group of locals who know him very well thought they'd have a couple of quid on what is generally speaking a pretty good bet anyway.

Without proof, such as phone calls of chat logs, there's no way they can unequivocally determine he's got them intentionally.

If they had that, this would've been shut by now. Looking forward to the responding counter claim £££ (and more importantly a focused Lucas)

[Fauxstralian]

It is behind closed doors

Not sure how true but read one report saying it would be adjourned & restart in June which seems bonkers
Also said the FA had made an offer but was rejected as it involved some sort of ban
West Ham are resisting as want him completely cleared and could claim compensation after the Man C transfer fell through
Paqueta was due to double his wages so could also claim compensation 

[Mike Oxsaw]

Is it a closed doors thing? I find it odd that there are no reports on how the case is developing. Hearing starts it 4th week on Monday 7th April.

I guess they're not "Hearing" enough of the stuff they need to lead them to their desired outcome, so they'll probably keep listening until they do.

[Mex Martillo]

Is it a closed doors thing? I find it odd that there are no reports on how the case is developing. Hearing starts it 4th week on Monday 7th April.

[Alfs]

I would LOVE that to happen

[El Scorchio]

Sounds like the FA are going to come up short with this given the sounds coming out of it. Trying to reach a deal/settlement which we will refuse AND go after them for millions in compo given this case made his 80 million transfer fall through.

[Mex Martillo]

Yep bollocks. I think that was the Villa game. Why is it suspicious that people that know Paqueta bet on him getting a yellow? Why is it suspicious they chose the Villa game? Paqueta gets booked a lot. McGinn is good at drawing players into a foul. Paqueta gets odds of a favourite to get a yellow. Surprising? Not really. Paqueta does get a yellow. Surprising? Not at all.
Only surprising thing seems to be that he did actually play.

[threesixty]

Presumably, the FA  have known for some time the nature and amounts of the bets placed, but I suspect maybe when it first came to light in 2023 they started an investigation before the exact nature of the of the betting was known other than the existence of suspicious patterns of betting.

Just prior to August 23 it was being reported that the FA were likely to drop the case - maybe because it had become known that it clearly wasn't large-scale syndicated fraud and that most evidence was circumstantial. It was also reported around the same time that the Man City transfer had collapsed and there was now the possibility of legal action against the FA. Fearing that the FA had no choice but to push on with the investigation and to formally charge Paqueta. Since then it has tried to build a case on further circumstantial evidence, such as that arising from the investigations in Brazil and it has also drummed up other charges of non-cooperation, obviously leaking stories to the press relating to Paqueta's phone. All along the FA have known that their ace in the hole is that they can rely on the balance of probability to get them off the hook. 

I am uncertain whether or not he did give out some strong hints to relatives about the likelihood of him receiving a booking but I am certain this will be in the courts for some time yet. All this "independent" panel will decide is who will be suing who.

 

 

Now that makes far more sense! I can see them doubling down on this nothing case because they have scuppered an 80m sale.

If they can get a circumstantial conviction but give a suspended sentence or something then that may protect the FA. 

apparently, Moyes has given evidence saying Paq wasn’t going to play the game is question because he didn’t want to f up his Man City deal. Moyes made a deal with him to play an hour but he ended up playing the whole game. 
So how would he be telling people to bet on a game he wasn’t going to play in?
it’s all bollocks. 

[nychammer]

All along the FA have known that their ace in the hole is that they can rely on the balance of probability to get them off the hook. 

 

Well, they could use balance of probability either way here couldn't they. I would say on the balance of probability and given the amounts involved and other evidence / testimony countering the notion of intentional wrong doing that there is no further action required. I would be shocked but not surprised if the FA having been so silent for so long now find against Paqueta and that it would get overturned on appeal.

[easthammer]

Presumably, the FA  have known for some time the nature and amounts of the bets placed, but I suspect maybe when it first came to light in 2023 they started an investigation before the exact nature of the of the betting was known other than the existence of suspicious patterns of betting.

Just prior to August 23 it was being reported that the FA were likely to drop the case - maybe because it had become known that it clearly wasn't large-scale syndicated fraud and that most evidence was circumstantial. It was also reported around the same time that the Man City transfer had collapsed and there was now the possibility of legal action against the FA. Fearing that the FA had no choice but to push on with the investigation and to formally charge Paqueta. Since then it has tried to build a case on further circumstantial evidence, such as that arising from the investigations in Brazil and it has also drummed up other charges of non-cooperation, obviously leaking stories to the press relating to Paqueta's phone. All along the FA have known that their ace in the hole is that they can rely on the balance of probability to get them off the hook. 

I am uncertain whether or not he did give out some strong hints to relatives about the likelihood of him receiving a booking but I am certain this will be in the courts for some time yet. All this "independent" panel will decide is who will be suing who.

[El Scorchio]

if a few friends from Mexico where Alvarez is from and fancied a bet a few dollars now and again on Alvarez getting booked (because lets face it over 90 minutes the odds arent that bad) would that lead to an investigation too? Stupid isnt it?

Maybe we should stop betting on bookings and things players can wield an influence on. 

Haha too much money involved to stop that.

I guess the suspicion was that these accounts always won every time they placed a bet on him? Going to imagine they were only placed for those games otherwise this would be a nothing- and obviously if they are placed by people who know him it’s even more suspicious. If they’d bet on him getting a yellow every game regardless of whether it happened then there would be nothing in this at all. They have really sophisticated systems for spotting things like this even for small amounts. It could just be a coincidence but if those accounts all only bet on him getting booked in those specific games then it is obviously suspicious. It’s obviously not linked to any sort of syndicate as the money is so small and they obviously weren’t playing it smart with their betting patterns. It could even be something silly and completely innocent like he’s rang his dad and been in a bad mood and his dad has said ‘he’s definitely going to get booked today’ and had a flutter with a few of his mates or family. But I doubt it. 

I should think this actually happens quite a lot very informally. A player might say to his mates something he will try to do in a game. Once only is probably nowhere near enough to raise suspicion. 

[goose]

Is using inside information to win a bet a crime?
If so why hasn’t Paqueta been charged by the police 
Would Betway be committing a crime by warning off someone who is doing that?
Im not sure

Sullivan owns the club & this has pissed an £80m transfer fee up the wall so his shares are worth less

Of course it’s a crime! As is knowing about it and letting it happen. Hard to prove but still illegal.

Football clubs aren’t valued on one possible transfer fee, and it’s been explained about a hundred times that Paqueta isn’t an £80m asset.

[nychammer]

if a few friends from Mexico where Alvarez is from and fancied a bet a few dollars now and again on Alvarez getting booked (because lets face it over 90 minutes the odds arent that bad) would that lead to an investigation too? Stupid isnt it?

Maybe we should stop betting on bookings and things players can wield an influence on. 

[Fauxstralian]

Is using inside information to win a bet a crime?
If so why hasn’t Paqueta been charged by the police 
Would Betway be committing a crime by warning off someone who is doing that?
Im not sure

Sullivan owns the club & this has pissed an £80m transfer fee up the wall so his shares are worth less

[nychammer]

His character shows every game - rolls about acting, cheats, general dishonesty - so I think the case will be fairly straight forward and we will pay the price. 

Plenty of players especially foreign ones do that. It dosen't particularly indicate he was involved in a betting scam

[goose]

We won’t pay the price. You have to assume we have insurance, and we’ll take him to the cleaners as well.

[9898]

His character shows every game - rolls about acting, cheats, general dishonesty - so I think the case will be fairly straight forward and we will pay the price. 

[goose]

As a club sponsor I would have hoped Betway would have had a quiet word with West Ham & got them to get Paqueta to stop this nonsense. Haven’t seen the amounts but by the comments below they weren’t significant 
Must be a bit awkward when Betway turn up to matches & Sullivan knows they have cost him a payday of his transfer to Man City
Surely this sponsorship won’t be renewed 

So Betway should commit a crime just to keep the dwarf happy? 

it hasn’t cost Sullivan anything, the only person who has cost the club is Paqueta.

[Mex Martillo]

From the Guardian
"The high stakes for Paquetá contrast starkly with the modest sums involved. A source with knowledge of the FA’s investigation said that one of the bets was for £7, with the highest £400."

It's all weird, I cannot see him being found probably guilty, but fuck knows. I also find it odd it's been going on for 5 days and no news reports of whats been said, must be very uninteresting to be absolutely no news.

[Fauxstralian]

As a club sponsor I would have hoped Betway would have had a quiet word with West Ham & got them to get Paqueta to stop this nonsense. Haven’t seen the amounts but by the comments below they weren’t significant 
Must be a bit awkward when Betway turn up to matches & Sullivan knows they have cost him a payday of his transfer to Man City
Surely this sponsorship won’t be renewed 

[Steady]

Not sure whether the amounts involved in betting will have a huge impact or not, but surely it goes in Paq’s favour. I think general perception was that the family were making huge amounts out of this. Makes you wonder why Betway even flagged anything up as suspicious 

[Manuel]

Just seen the amounts of the bets placed, Paquetta earns more than the payouts in an hour! Why would he even bother!

Yea, nobody has thought about that or asked that before. Well done.