Lucas Paqueta under investigation for allegedly deliberately taking yellow card as 'birthday gift' for his brother
West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta is at the center of a gambling scandal after being accused of deliberately receiving a yellow card in a match against Aston Villa as a birthday gift for his brother, Matheus.
According to evidence presented in a Brazilian parliamentary inquiry, Paqueta allegedly told whistleblower Bruno Lopez that he planned to get booked in the March 12 match against Villa as a 'birthday present' for his sibling. Paqueta was subsequently shown a yellow card for a foul on Villa’s John McGinn.
WhatsApp messages between Lopez and a bettor, Marlon Nascimento da Silva, reportedly mentioned the plan. Investigators also found that Matheus Paqueta had ties to Marlon and followed him on social media. The report further states that Paqueta's uncle transferred approximately £13,000 to Marlon over five separate transactions.
This investigation is part of a broader inquiry into match-fixing and betting in football. While there has been no official call for Paqueta's punishment in Brazil, the player could face significant disciplinary action from the Football Association (FA) in connection with four potentially suspicious yellow cards. These cards were issued in matches against Leicester in 2022, and Leeds, Aston Villa, and Bournemouth in 2023.
Paqueta has firmly denied the allegations and is scheduled to appear at an FA hearing in March. If found guilty, he could face a lifetime ban from football.
Despite the ongoing investigation, Paqueta has continued to play a key role for West Ham, scoring 5 goals in 25 appearances this season.
See Lucas Paqueta's detailed stats on Tribuna.com.
