West Ham star Lucas Paqueta’s family probed after ‘admitting sending payments to another Brazilian player to pay off a debt’ amid spot-fixing investigation

Lucas Paqueta’s relatives are reportedly being investigated over bank payments to another Brazilian player, with the West Ham star accused of spot-fixing.

Paqueta was charged by the Football Association in May, alleging that the midfielder was deliberately given a yellow card in an attempt to influence betting markets.

The English Football Association alleges that Paqueta was deliberately given yellow cards for top-flight matches against Leicester, Aston Villa, Leeds and Bournemouth so that he and/or his friends could profit from bets against him receiving a yellow card.

Brazilian news website UOL has reported that Paqueta’s uncle Bruno Tolentino and son Yan made two payments to another player, Luiz Henrique, in early 2023.

The payments, which total more than £5,000, were made shortly after the Brazilian forward had already received two yellow cards for Spanish club Real Betis.

Two of Paqueta’s relatives have reportedly admitted making payments to fellow Brazilian forward Luiz Henrique when he was at Real Betis, but deny the payments were linked to sports betting.

Henrique was booked in Real Betis’ 1–0 win over Getafe on 28 January 2023, as well as in their 4–3 defeat to Celta Vigo on 4 February. The striker had played the final 11 minutes of the match.

UOL reported that Henrique received 10,000 Brazilian reals (£1,370) from Yan’s bank account on January 30, before receiving 30,000 reals (R$30,000) in Bruno’s account on February 6.

Bruno Tolentino reportedly admitted to the payments in an interview with the website, but he said they were to pay off a loan and had nothing to do with gambling.

“It was money I owed him and I paid it. It was an agreement between us,” he said.

“How can I say that? 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.”

Tolentino admitted to UOL that he had won money betting on matches involving Henrique, but denied having “privileged information”.

Henrique’s agent Junior Mendonza said the striker denies the allegations.

“Forward Luiz Henrique has already given the necessary explanations to the responsible authorities on the matter,” he said. In fact, the case has already been investigated and filed by the Spanish Federation.

Henrique now plays for Brazilian side Botafogo after completing an £18million move this summer

The FA has investigated suspicious betting patterns surrounding four bookings Paqueta received in 2022 and 2023

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

‘The fact that the issue came to light at such a decisive moment for Botafogo, and that in the week of the call-up to the Brazilian national team, surprised us greatly, as the player is not the subject of any investigation or procedure for offences of this nature.’

Henrique left Real Betis in the summer to join Brazilian club Botafogo for £18million. Botafogo reiterated Henrique’s denial of the allegations, claiming the reports were an attempt to destabilise the club ahead of their Copa Libertadores semi-final.

The football association, which has sued Paqueta, was reportedly unaware of the payments made to Henrique by the midfielder’s relatives. The organisation is now said to be investigating the reports.

Paqueta denies all allegations and has previously said he will “fight with every breath to clear my name.”

In August 2023, Mail Sport exclusively broke the story of Paqueta’s betting investigation, which led to the rejection of his proposed £85million transfer to Premier League champions Manchester City.

English Football Association guidelines state that players found guilty of spot-fixing could face a ban of between six months and life in prison.

Paqueta is allowed to continue playing while the case is ongoing.