Championship leaders Queens Park Rangers face a possible points deduction after they were charged with a breach of rule banning third-party ownership in relation to Alejandro Faurlin.
The Argentine midfielder joined Queens Park Rangers in July 2009 from Institute FC for £3.5 million but it is now alleged that when he did so an un-named third-party retained a stake in his economic rights.
The FA on Wednesday charged the club and chairman Gianni Paladini with breaching seven regulations, including providing false information when the player was registered.
It is also charged with making payments to an unauthorised agent when Faurlin was signed.
If found guilty the club could face a range of penalties from a fine to a points deduction that might place their promotion chase in jeopardy. They are currently seven points clear at the top of the Championship and strong favourites to return to the Premier League.
The closest parallel to the case is that of Carlos Tévez who played for West Ham United in breach of the Premier League's third-party rules.
West Ham were eventually punished with a £5m fine rather than a points deduction and Tévez was permitted to continue playing, scoring the goals that kept the club in the league.
Sheffield United were the biggest losers from the Tévez case, being relegated under the management of Neil Warnock, who is now in charge at Loftus Road.
The FA consider that Faurlin, who is a QPR regular and signed a four-year contract extension in October 2010, has been eligible to play because his registration was lodged with the FA.
The club will be charged with concealing the true nature of his contract from the FA when making that registration.
The Football League discovered the alleged breach of rules in September last year but as it did not have rules banning third –party ownership at the time he signed the case was passed to the FA.
The FA allowed QPR to buy out the third-party rights in January 2011 so that the player could continue to play without breaching any rules.
In a statement the FA said: "The FA has charged Queens Park Rangers FC with seven breaches of FA regulations.
"The Club charges relate to the player Alejandro Faurlin and concern the alleged existence of an agreement between the Club and a third party in respect of the player's economic rights, and the alleged failure by the Club to notify The FA of that agreement before the player was registered to play in England in July 2009.
"These charges are brought under FA Rules C1(b)(iii) and E3, and the Third Party Investment in Players Regulations, A1 and A2.
"The Club is also charged with allegedly using or seeking to pay an Unauthorised Agent in relation to the player's registration in July 2009.
This charge is brought under the Players Agents Regulations, A1.
"The Club and Club Official Gianni Paladini are also charged in respect of allegedly false information contained in documents submitted to The FA in relation to the same player signing an extension to his playing contract with the Club in October 2010. These charges are brought under the Players Agents Regulations, C2, and FA Rule E3."
