Rui Pinto warns of ‘real danger’ after Portugal ends witness protection

Rui Pinto, whose Football Leaks disclosures raised allegations of financial wrongdoing involving Manchester City and caused widespread disruption in European football, has warned that his life may be at risk after Portuguese authorities ended his witness protection.

Pinto said on X that the committee overseeing the programme had told him his participation was over. The protection had included secret accommodation and security measures.

He said the decision left him facing a genuine threat after receiving death threats and amid fears of an assassination attempt. Pinto added that he would have to move within the next few days to an undisclosed location, although it was not clear how long he would remain there.

His legal team has challenged the decision and asked the Portuguese authorities to reconsider. The lawyers warned of possible security and legal consequences, pointing out that several judicial proceedings linked to information released by Pinto are still active.

Manchester City case remains ongoing

Among the grounds for the appeal is the continued legal activity arising from the Football Leaks disclosures, including the case involving Manchester City.

The club faces allegations of more than 100 breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations. Pinto’s lawyers say the ongoing proceedings should have been taken into account before the protection provided to him was withdrawn, given the potential risks to his safety.

The Football Leaks disclosures began in 2015, when Pinto published confidential documents relating to player contracts and transfers, as well as financial dealings involving clubs and agents. The material led to investigations and legal proceedings in several European countries, bringing renewed scrutiny to controversial financial matters in football.

His lawyers said the threats against Pinto were not hypothetical. They referred to an attack on him in Lisbon during April and said influential people with substantial resources had been named in the files he released. Some legal action connected to those disclosures remains unresolved.

Acquitted in second trial

In April, Pinto, 37, was acquitted of all charges in a second trial in Portugal. That followed a September 2023 conviction for computer crimes and attempted extortion of a sports investment fund, for which he received a four-year suspended prison sentence.

Pinto was arrested in Hungary in January 2019, where he had been living, before being extradited to Portugal. He spent more than a year in pre-trial detention and later agreed to co-operate with the authorities in other investigations, giving them access to encrypted data in his possession.

His defence remains concerned about his safety following the end of the protection programme, while the consequences of the Football Leaks material continue to feature in a number of legal cases, most notably the financial case involving Manchester City.