Full Breakdown
Rui Pinto’s Witness Protection Revoked After Manchester City Verdict
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Portuguese Whistleblower Loses Protected Witness Status
Rui Pinto, the 37-year-old founder of Football Leaks, has had his protected-witness status terminated by Portuguese authorities. The decision followed his use of social media to denounce Manchester City’s guilty verdict from an independent Premier League commission. Officials said his safety was assessed as low risk, ending the protection he had enjoyed since August 2020.
Background & Context
Pinto’s early leaks targeted Portuguese clubs Benfica and FC Porto before expanding to more than 70 million confidential documents shared with the European Investigative Collaborations consortium. The disclosures triggered UEFA investigations and, most prominently, the Premier League probe that found Manchester City guilty of 114 of 115 financial-misconduct charges.
Pinto was arrested in Budapest in January 2019, extradited to Portugal in March 2019, and sentenced in September 2023 to a four-year suspended term for illegal data access and attempted extortion. In April 2026 a second trial acquitted him of 241 counts involving illegal email access to Portuguese sports bodies, law firms, magistrates and the tax authority.
Data & Statistics
- Manchester City was found guilty of 114 of 115 charges, with the league estimating the club used “sham” contracts to inflate revenues and cut costs by more than £900 million (? $1.2 billion).
- Football Leaks released over 70 million confidential documents between 2016 and 2018.
- Pinto faced 241 charges in the April 2026 trial; all were dismissed as “invalid.”
- The Premier League’s investigation relied heavily on documents supplied by Pinto, including internal communications from City’s chief executive Ferran Soriano.
Official Statements & Responses
The Premier League said the evidence provided by Football Leaks formed the basis of its charges against Manchester City, describing the club’s arrangements as deliberately designed to circumvent league rules.
Portuguese authorities concluded that the risk to Pinto’s personal safety was low and ended his witness-protection status. The decision was communicated on a Wednesday, and he was advised to limit contact with family, avoid crowded places and refrain from social-media activity.
He also labeled FIFA president Gianni Infantino a “cancer on football” shortly before his protection was revoked.
On-the-Ground Reports
Pinto continues to reside in a safe house under strict security measures. He was assaulted in April 2026 in an incident believed to be football-related, sustaining a bruised eyebrow; police were notified but no formal complaint was filed. During his 2020 trial he entered a courtroom guarded by special forces, wore a bullet-proof vest and was subject to multiple security checks, including snipers positioned nearby.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The precise rationale for ending Pinto’s protection remains unclear. Portuguese officials cited a low-risk assessment, while some media link the decision to allegations that Pinto hacked the computer systems of PLMJ, a law firm whose founder José Miguel Júdice testified against him. The Commission for Special Security Programs (CPES) did not provide an official explanation when contacted. No evidence has emerged showing that any of Pinto’s leaked material has led to criminal charges against other parties.
What’s Next
Manchester City is expected to file an appeal by the end of the week following the commission’s verdict. Portuguese authorities have advised Pinto to exercise caution in all communications and to avoid public exposure. The lack of a formal response from CPES leaves open the possibility of further legal challenges regarding witness-protection policy, while the Premier League’s enforcement actions may continue to rely on the documents originally supplied by Pinto.