After two long years of speculation, stress, and serious allegations, Lucas Paqueta is breathing a huge sigh of relief.
The West Ham midfielder has officially been cleared of spot-fixing charges that once threatened to derail his entire football career.
The Allegations That Shook His Reputation
Back in August 2023, news broke that the FA was investigating Paqueta for potentially picking up yellow cards on purpose during Premier League matches.
The suspicion? That he was doing so to manipulate betting outcomes.
The 27-year-old was accused of deliberately getting booked in four matches—against Leicester in 2022, and then against Leeds, Aston Villa, and Bournemouth in 2023.
The accusations were serious enough to raise questions about his integrity on the pitch.
West Ham Confirms His Name Is Cleared
Throughout the entire investigation, Paqueta maintained his innocence.
And on Thursday, West Ham issued a statement confirming that an independent Regulatory Commission had found him not guilty of the key charges.
However, it’s not entirely over. The FA noted that Paqueta may still face consequences for two breaches of Rule F3, which involve allegedly not fully cooperating during the investigation—things like failing to answer questions or hand over requested information.
Paqueta Breaks His Silence with a Heartfelt Message
Now that the worst is behind him, Paqueta took to Instagram to finally share his thoughts and gratitude.
Quoting scripture, he wrote:
“The enemy will come against us one way, but they will flee seven ways.”
He went on to say he’s always known he was innocent and thanked God, his family, West Ham, the fans, and his legal team for standing by him.
“To my wife who never let go of my hand, to West Ham, to the fans who always cheered me on… thank you for everything,” he added. “All glory and honor be to God! A complete work.”
His Lawyer Calls It One of the Most Important Cases He’s Handled
Paqueta’s lawyer, Nick De Marco KC, also took to social media to share his relief and pride in the outcome.
He called the verdict “correct” and admitted the case was one of the most important in his career.
He described the emotional toll of defending someone whose career was at stake, saying:
“Doing a case for an individual, especially one as dedicated and talented as Lucas… can be very stressful.
But when the final result is the right one, it makes it all worthwhile.”
De Marco also thanked the Regulatory Commission and his legal team, and praised West Ham for standing by Paqueta through it all.
The Transfer Drama and What Comes Next
Paqueta joined West Ham from Lyon in 2022 in a £51 million deal that made headlines.
His performances quickly caught the eye of top clubs, including Manchester City.
In fact, City were ready to make a move for him—reportedly worth £80 million—before the FA investigation came to light and the deal collapsed.
Now, with the main charges behind him, West Ham are reportedly open to letting Paqueta leave for a reduced fee of around £30 million.
Among those interested? His boyhood club Flamengo, where he first made a name for himself back in 2016.