- Lucas Paqueta is currently facing charges for breaching FA betting rules
- The star is accused of deliberately giving himself a yellow card in four matches
Lucas Paqueta’s relatives are reportedly being investigated over bank payments made to another Brazilian player, while the West Ham star faces match-fixing charges.
Paqueta was charged by the Football Association in May, with the midfielder accused of deliberately being booked in an attempt to influence betting markets.
The FA alleges that Paqueta was deliberately booked in top-flight matches against Leicester, Aston Villa, Leeds and Bournemouth so that he and/or his friends could profit from bets placed on his card.
Brazilian news website UOL reported that Paqueta’s uncle, Bruno Tolentino, and his son, Yan, made two payments to another player, Luiz Henrique, in early 2023.
The payments, totalling more than £5,000, were made shortly after the Brazilian striker was booked in two games against Spanish side Real Betis.
West Ham star Lucas Paqueta is fighting FA charges over alleged breaches of betting rules
Two of Paqueta’s relatives have reportedly admitted to making payments to his compatriot Luiz Henrique when he was at Real Betis, but deny that they were linked to sports betting.
Henrique had been booked in Real Betis’ 1-0 win over Getafe on 28 January 2023, as well as in their 4-3 loss to Celta Vigo on 4 February. The forward had played the final 11 minutes of the match.
UOL reported that Henrique had received 10,000 Brazilian reals (£1,370) from Yan’s bank account on 30 January, before receiving 30,000 reals (R$30,000) from Bruno’s account on 6 February.
Bruno Tolentino reportedly admitted to the payments in an interview with the website, but said they were made to repay a loan and were not related to gambling.
“It was money I owed him and I paid it. It was an agreement between us,” he said.
“How can I put it? It was money I owed him and he had lent it to me. We agreed to pay him back and we did. When I had the money to pay him back, I paid it back.”
Tolentino admitted to UOL that he had made money from bets placed on matches in which Henrique participated, but denied having “insider information.”
Henrique’s agent, Junior Mendoza, said the striker denies the allegations.
“Forward Luiz Henrique has already provided the necessary clarifications on the matter to the responsible bodies,” he said. In fact, the case has already been investigated and closed by the Spanish Federation.
Henrique now plays for Brazilian club Botafogo after making an £18million move this summer.
The FA has investigated suspicious betting patterns surrounding four bookings Paqueta received in 2022 and 2023
Paqueta expressed surprise at the charges and continues to deny any wrongdoing.
‘The fact that the issue came to light at such a crucial time for Botafogo, and in the week of his call-up to the Brazilian national team, surprised us and surprised us, given that the player is not the subject of an investigation or procedure for infringements of that nature.’
Henrique left Real Betis in the summer to join Brazilian club Botafogo for £18m. Botafogo again denied the allegations made by Henrique and claimed the reports were an attempt to destabilise the club ahead of the Copa Libertadores semi-final.
The Football Association, which has sued Paqueta, is said to have had no knowledge of the payments made to Henrique by the midfielder’s relatives. The organisation is now said to be investigating the reports.
Paqueta has denied all charges against him and has previously said he will “fight with every breath to clear my name.”
Mail Sport exclusively broke the story of Paqueta’s betting investigation in August 2023, which led to the collapse of his potential £85million transfer to Premier League champions Manchester City.
The FA’s sanctioning guidelines state that players found guilty of match-fixing could face a ban of between six months and life imprisonment.
Paqueta has been allowed to continue playing while the case continues.
