West Ham star Lucas Paqueta’s family being probed by the FA amid flurry of suspicious bets
THE FA are investigating more betting claims involving the family of West Ham star Lucas Paqueta.
Reports in Brazil yesterday claimed that Paqueta‘s uncle and cousin, Bruno and Yan Tolentino, have admitted paying former Real Betis striker Luiz Henrique over £5000 days after the Brazilian received two suspicious yellow cards which triggered an integrity probe in Spain.
The investigation into Henrique conducted by LaLiga and the Spanish FA last year was linked to the FA‘s investigation which led to Paqueta being charged with four counts of spot-fixing.
The Spanish authorities did not take any disciplinary action against Henrique however, and Betis sold the 23-year-old winger to Brazilian club Botafogo this summer for £18million.
The integrity alerts into suspicious betting patterns surrounding the Paqueta and Henrique bookings were both triggered by online gambling company Betway, West Ham‘s shirt sponsor.
Many of the suspicious bets on Paqueta that led to him being charged are believed to have been placed by members of his family.
In an interview with Brazilian website UOL, Paqueta’s uncle Bruno Tolentino admitted making a bank payment to Henrique and winning money by betting on his matches, but denied receiving inside knowledge or any suspicious activity.
According to UOL two bank transfers totalling £5500 were made from Tolentino to Henrique last January and February.
Tolentino told UOL: “It was money that I owed him and I paid it.
“It was an agreement between us. It was money that I owed him and he had lent it to me.
“We agreed to pay it back and we did. When I had the money to pay it back, I paid it.
“I can play, I’m not prohibited. I just can’t have privileged information.
From Luiz Henrique, it was pure luck, man. It’s one in a million.”
The FOUR games Paqueta has been charged for
LUCAS PAQUETA has been charged by the FA over four specific games...
FIRST INCIDENT – West Ham 0-2 Leicester, 60th minute
The Brazilian was booked for lunging into Leicester’s Boubakary Soumare from behind.
After initially playing the advantage, referee Jarred Gillett eventually pulled it back and brandished the yellow.
SECOND INCIDENT – West Ham 1-1 Aston Villa, 70th minute
Four months later against Aston Villa Paqueta slid into John McGinn inside the centre circle, completely missing the ball and instead catching his legs.
THIRD INCIDENT – West Ham 3-1 Leeds, 65th minute
At the end of the 2022-23 campaign against Leeds at the London Stadium Paqueta tripped Crysencio Summerville from behind.
The foul prevented the visitors from breaking on the counter attack.
FOURTH INCIDENT – Bournemouth 1-1 West Ham, 93rd minute
With just a few minutes remaining on the opening day of the season, Paqueta jumped up for an aerial challenge but instead handled the ball.
The referee, who was standing directly in front of him, was quick to brandish the yellow.
The FA declined to comment, but were thought to be unaware of Tolentino’s alleged involvement until yesterday and are now looking into the matter.
Paqueta has yet to give a date for a disciplinary hearing that will be heard by a three-person independent commission with the FA continuing to prepare their case against him.
As SunSport revealed in June the FA are pushing for Paqueta to be given a life ban from football.
A spokesperson for Paqueta declined to comment.