Lucas Paqueta succeeds in legal move to delay questioning – West Ham player's legal team request granted
Today at 07:30 AM
West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta has succeeded in a legal move to delay appearing in front of authorities in Brazil over alleged gambling offences.
O Estado de Sao Paulo report that Paqueta has succeeded in delaying an appearance in front of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) on the Manipulation of Games and Sports Betting until 3 December.
The West Ham star was due to appear in front of senators to give his version of events this month as the investigation into illegal bets in Brazil continues.
He finds himself under investigation in Brazil alongside the investigation by the English FA over his alleged involvement in a sports betting scheme on matches taking place in 2022 and 2023.
The midfielder had been due to appear after his uncle, Bruno Tolentino, who has also been accused of being a part of the scheme.
Tolentino, though, has sought to avoid appearing, with lawyers representing the West Ham man's uncle insisting that the summons he had received from the CPI was unconstitutional.
Whether Paqueta and his team have sought a similar defence isn't made clear but his scheduled appearance on 29 October did not take place. Estado report this is because his defence team 'asked for a postponement' and it was granted by the CPI.
That is surprising given the West Ham star has been insistent he is innocent and publically declared his desire to demonstrate his innocence on 17 October in a statement regarding the investigation by the English FA.
His appearance in front of the CPI in Brazil was a chance to do so but his lawyers have seemingly decided otherwise, in what we suspect will be the first of many delays to that scheduled appearance.
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