Revealed: FA ‘want to ban Lucas Pacqueta for LIFE’ if West Ham forward is found guilty of betting breaches… as details of £100k gambling scam are unveiled – with one bet being worth as little as £7

Lucas Paqueta could reportedly be ‘banned for life’ by the Football Association (FA) if he is found guilty of breaching the organisation’s gambling rules.

It comes as further details of the alleged £100,000 gambling operation have now apparently emerged.

The 26-year-old West Ham forward is facing a lengthy ban after being charged by the FA on May 23 for allegedly being deliberately booked during matches taking place during the 2022-2023 season in an attempt to influence betting markets.

The incidents are said to have occurred during Premier League matches against Aston Villa, Leeds, Leicester and Bournemouth, with the FA claiming Paqueta deliberately picked up yellow cards during those matches so he or his friends could benefit from betting.

The Brazilian attacking midfielder has strongly denied all allegations, but it seems that way The sunthat the FA’s charge sheet includes a recommendation that Paqueta should be banned for life if found guilty of the offences.

The FA accused the West Ham striker of several gambling breaches in May

The results relate to Paqueta’s (right-wing) behavior during four Premier League matches last season, in which he was shown a yellow card

Paqueta had until June 3 to respond to the charges against him, with the FA charging four breaches of FA rule E5.1 in relation to his conduct during the aforementioned matches.

‘It is alleged that he directly attempted to influence the proceedings, conduct or any other aspect of or appearance in these matches by deliberately attempting to receive a card from the referee for the improper purpose of influencing the betting market to either more individuals can benefit from betting,” the organization wrote in a statement.

‘Lucas Paqueta has also been charged with two breaches of FA Rule F3 in relation to an alleged failure to comply with FA Rule F2.’

Rule E5.1 prohibits players from influencing for an ‘improper purpose’ the outcome, progress, conduct or any other aspect of a football match or competition.

The Athletics now claims that Brazil’s legal team will request an extension of the June 3 deadline to respond to the allegations.

Former Reading defender Kynan Isaac was once handed a 10-year football ban in 2022 after being found guilty of receiving a deliberate booking on which his friends had placed bets. An additional 18 months were added for violating gambling rules, and an additional year was added for non-cooperation.

The FA alleges that Paqueta deliberately secured bookings to influence the betting markets

Paqueta was investigated for four bookings in particular, the first of which is above

Leeds’ Crysencio Summerville was knocked out by Paqueta, who was booked for the tackle

It also comes as Reading’s head of football operations Mark Bowen was hit with an FA charge over claims he placed 95 bets on football matches. The fixtures involve fixtures unrelated to The Royals’ own fixtures and would be spread over a period from April 2022 to January this year.

Yet The Sun claims the FA has argued Paqueta’s case is more serious, with the outlet revealing the full details of the alleged gambling scam.

They claim that one of the bets placed on the Brazilian being shown a yellow card was ‘only worth £7’.

The outlet claims that ’60 people have placed bets on Paqueta to be booked in matches against Villa, Leeds, Leicester and Bournemouth’ during the 2022-2023 season.

The stakes on these bets ranged from ‘£7 to £400, leading to a combined winnings of £100,000’.

It had taken the FA nine months to gather the evidence to bring charges against the attacker, and it all started in August 2023.

It came after his £85million move to Manchester City seemingly collapsed, with Mail Sport breaking the news last August that the FA had launched an investigation into Paqueta’s bookings last season.

Mail Sport even wrote in 2023 that it was Betway who reported suspicious activity to the Football Association that prompted their investigation.

Paqueta has previously expressed surprise at the allegations and continues to deny any wrongdoing

When the news broke last year, there was a lot of talk about the gambling investigation on Paqueta Island

West Ham star Lucas Paqueta has been accused by the FA of breaching betting rules

The bets in question are said to have come from the island of Paqueta in Guanbara Bay, near Rio de Janeiro, close to where the West Ham footballer had grown up.

The Sun revealed on Monday that Paqueta had also asked not to be included in West Ham’s opening game of the season – a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth – where he received his first controversial yellow card.

It is claimed that the striker was keen to avoid picking up an injury that could throw a spanner in the works in his move to City.

Mail Sport has contacted the FA and West Ham for comment.