EXCLUSIVE Lucas Paqueta's spot-fixing hearing FINALLY ends almost two years after investigation began - as timeline to discover West Ham star's fate is revealed

Daily Mail​

04-06-2025

Lucas Paqueta's FA spot-fixing hearing has finally concluded, with the Brazilian now anxiously awaiting a verdict nearly two years after the investigation began and one which will determine whether he can still call himself a professional footballer.
However, senior sources at West Ham are not happy after being warned it could take another four to eight weeks for Paqueta's fate to be revealed, with Mail Sport breaking the news back in August 2023 that the FA were investigating their playmaker for potentially picking up yellow cards on purpose.
Speaking anonymously, those Hammers insiders have called for a faster conclusion after his long-awaited hearing, which began nearly three months ago on March 17, ended this week.
They say the prolonged wait only adds to the mental anguish on Paqueta, who has struggled to cope with the crushing pressure of his career being on the chopping block, while claiming it is throwing their own transfer plans into serious uncertainty as they head into the summer window.
Paqueta, who insists he is innocent of any wrongdoing, faces a potential life ban if the panel examining the evidence decide he was involved in a conspiracy to collect cautions in four Premier League fixtures in order to influence betting outcomes.
While there is not yet any indication over whether he will be found innocent or guilty once the verdict arrives, West Ham sources have long feared the odds are stacked against them due to the FA's standard of proof being based on a 'balance of probabilities', which is usual in civil cases, as opposed to the more rigorous 'beyond a reasonable doubt' for those accused of criminal offences.
It has been described as the most high‑profile corruption case in English football since Bruce Grobbelaar was acquitted of conspiring to fix five Premier League games in a criminal trial 27 years ago.
Paqueta broke down in tears during one home game with Tottenham towards the end of last season when he received a yellow card, in a sign of the toll being taken on him. His wife, Duda, released a statement afterwards describing the last two years as a 'nightmare' for her husband, who did not start another game for West Ham under manager Graham Potter after that Spurs incident.
Mail Sport revealed that Paqueta was being investigated on August 18, 2023 and the FA formally charged him on May 23, 2024 with four counts of spot-fixing and two of obstructing their investigation.
Insiders say Paqueta mentally built himself up for the beginning of his hearing on March 17, originally believing it would last no longer than three weeks.
However, the scale of the evidence being evaluated meant it was not concluded within that timeframe, and further complications arose when it had to be placed on hiatus, seemingly because of scheduling issues surrounding those involved.
Paqueta and West Ham must now wait to discover whether he has won his seismic fight after a trial in which David Moyes, his former manager who is now in charge of Everton, even acted as a witness on his behalf in a bid to clear his name.
The FA and West Ham were contacted for comment.