Lucas Paqueta Considers Legal Action Against FA After Spot-Fixing Acquittal
West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta is contemplating legal action against the Football Association (FA) following his exoneration from spot-fixing allegations.
Sources close to the 28-year-old athlete informed BBC Sport that his legal team is currently evaluating all possible avenues, including the prospect of suing the FA.
In May 2024, Paqueta was charged by the FA for allegedly receiving a yellow card intentionally to influence the betting market.
However, an independent commission cleared him of all four counts of alleged spot-fixing in July 2025.
On Wednesday, the commission published a detailed report that questioned the FA's decision not to consult independent experts regarding crucial betting data.
Paqueta’s legal representatives are now reviewing the commission's findings and considering their next steps, which may include legal action against the FA.
The FA's investigation into Paqueta commenced in August 2023, nine months prior to the charges being brought against him.
This investigation ultimately led to the collapse of Paqueta's £80 million transfer to Manchester City.
The commission acknowledged that both Paqueta and West Ham could have potentially received substantial financial gains, amounting to tens of millions of pounds, and stated that both parties reserve their rights in this matter.
The FA has confirmed that it will not appeal the commission's decision and has been approached for further comment.
Details of the Case
The 314-page report prepared by Sports Resolutions, an independent dispute resolution service, outlines the case intricately.
The commission’s findings cover a wide range of information, including insights from former West Ham manager David Moyes regarding the yellow card incidents and conversations Paqueta's mother, Cristiane, had in a Brazilian salon.
The FA claimed that 542 bets totaling £46,758.83 were placed by 253 bettors, with a collective return of £213,703.81, indicating a net profit of £166,944.98.
However, the commission concluded that the FA's case relied solely on circumstantial evidence, noting that the decision to present evidence from one of its own employees, betting integrity investigator Tom Astley, was a significant flaw.
According to the commission, the FA failed to call independent expert evidence on what it deemed the most critical element of its case.
Astley had stated that the betting activity surrounding Paqueta appeared to be highly orchestrated, but the FA's legal counsel later contradicted this assessment without further clarification.
The FA suggested that 27 of the 253 bettors could be linked to Paqueta, but the player contended that he had only a genuine relationship with five of them, rarely discussing football.
The commission concluded that the analysis of the betting data did not support the notion of a spot-fix and noted that it was more consistent with alternative explanations.
Nick de Marco, a member of Paqueta's legal team, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating, "I remain delighted for my client Lucas, who has been cleared of all serious spot-fixing charges. This decision is understood to be the longest sports-related judgment ever issued globally, reflecting the seriousness of the case and the volume of evidence presented in what was the largest case in FA history."
Expert Testimonies
Former West Ham manager Moyes, now coaching Everton, and ex-Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg provided evidence in support of Paqueta from a performance standpoint.
Moyes stated that he had closely re-evaluated the yellow card incidents and deemed them to be entirely within the normal range of actions for Paqueta.
Clattenburg disagreed with findings from Stats Perform Integrity Services that supported the FA's case, asserting that two of the four yellow cards issued to Paqueta should not have been shown.
He added, "Each challenge falls comfortably within the realm of occurrences that happen multiple times every match, both individually and collectively."
The commission found no evidence in Paqueta's on-field conduct that would substantiate the FA's claims of intentional misconduct in any of the four matches.
The inability of the FA to locate any data from Paqueta's mobile phones related to betting or the charges was a significant point in favor of his defense, indicating his disinterest in gambling.
The FA conceded that it could not prove that Paqueta had deliberately deleted any relevant messages or contacts.
Over 300 deleted messages were recovered, none of which pertained to spot-fixing.
The commission remarked that this outcome serves as a crucial reminder of the dangers of drawing adverse conclusions from unknown events.