Brief
Rui Pinto faces loss of witness protection after Manchester City verdict
The Football Leaks founder says his situation is now critical as he is forced out of safe housing.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Manchester City’s Premier League verdict confirming financial rule breaches has triggered a new crisis for Portuguese hacker Rui Pinto, the founder of Football Leaks. The Independent reports that less than 24 hours after the commission announced City’s guilt, Pinto learned he will lose his witness‑protection residence on 10 October.
What happened
Pinto, who exposed City’s alleged cheating over nine seasons, had been living under police protection after receiving a four‑year suspended sentence in September 2023. The Premier League’s statement, which confirmed the truth of the Football Leaks documents, was hailed by Pinto as a victory eight years in the making.
What was said
In a joint statement, Pinto’s Portuguese and French legal team said, “His situation is now critical… the threats against him are not merely theoretical; he was assaulted in Lisbon last April.” The team described the loss of protection as “an act of state terrorism.”
How it came about
Pinto’s whistleblowing began with the 2018 Football Leaks releases that fed German newspaper Der Spiegel’s investigation into City’s finances. He later faced 147 charges in Portugal, was extradited from Hungary in 2019, and spent a year in custody before house arrest.
Key facts
- Rui Pinto will lose his witness‑protection residence on 10 October (independent.co.uk)
- The Premier League confirmed Manchester City’s financial rule breaches (independent.co.uk)
- Pinto’s legal team described the loss of protection as an act of state terrorism (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Who is Rui Pinto? The Man City whistleblower abandoned by Portuguese authorities”
