West Ham striker Lucas Paquetá is expected to be found not guilty of match-fixing charges, according to Keith Wyness, former Everton CEO and current sports consultant for elite clubs. According to Wyness, the trial will clear the player.
“My sources say the case is now closed and Paquetá will be acquitted,” Wyness told the Inside Track podcast on the English website “Football Insider.”
New evidence may change the timing of the decision, but it shouldn’t change the outcome. Despite this, the former executive emphasized that this new information about the case may be contributing to the delay in issuing the final verdict.
“It’s very surprising and mysterious. All the testimonies have been collected, and yet there’s this sudden postponement. I can only imagine that something new has emerged. It’s difficult to understand,” the former executive added.
However, despite Wyness claiming there is a delay, Lucas Paquetá’s trial is expected to have the final decision announced by the end of August this year.
Understand the accusation against Lucas Paquetá
The initial allegations involve four yellow cards allegedly forced by Paquetá between November 2022 and August 2023.
Betway, West Ham’s sponsor, noticed an increase in bets related to these sanctions on Paquetá Island in Rio de Janeiro. Consequently, the company reported the situation to the FA.
From this, in May 2024, the English Football Association (FA) filed charges against the player for intentionally being involved in situations in four matches to receive yellow cards.
The matches under investigation include clashes against Leicester City, Aston Villa, Leeds United, and Bournemouth. The FA also alleges that the Brazilian shared privileged information. with people interested in making money from sports betting.
The case reached alarming proportions when evidence emerged that family members and acquaintances of the player had made specific bets. These people had allegedly bet that Paquetá would receive a yellow card at certain moments in the aforementioned matches.
Throughout the proceedings, Lucas Paquetá remained firm in denying the allegations. The Brazilian midfielder publicly declared his innocence in his only statement regarding the case.
