Rui Pinto set to leave Portuguese witness protection amid threats
October 2, 2026 22:00
Rui Pinto, the founder of Football Leaks, says Portugal will end his participation in the country's witness protection programme on 10 October. Pinto posted on X that the decision has put him in a "life-threatening situation" and left him with no alternative but to relocate to an undisclosed location because of "multiple death threats" and "the serious risk of an assassination attempt".
WHY IT MATTERS NOW
Documents released by Pinto — including emails and financial records he shared with Der Spiegel in 2018 — prompted investigations into Manchester City's finances. Last week, City were found guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons; the club has appealed.
LEGAL BACKGROUND
Pinto became part of Portugal's witness protection programme in 2020 after agreeing to co-operate with authorities and provide files obtained through the Football Leaks operation. He has described himself as a whistleblower, but was convicted in Portugal of offences including illegal access to data and attempted extortion and given a four-year suspended sentence. During his first trial in 2020 he wore a bulletproof vest and the proceedings had heightened security measures. Earlier this year he was acquitted in a second trial of 241 counts of illegally accessing email accounts belonging to a number of sports bodies, including Benfica.
OTHER RECENT STATEMENTS
On Wednesday Pinto targeted Fifa president Gianni Infantino, saying he had "become a cancer on football" and should "have no place in the future of the game". Pinto repeated 2018 allegations that Infantino intervened to help Manchester City and Paris St-Germain avoid Uefa financial fair play sanctions. The source notes Infantino's position has faced increased pressure following controversial plans to sell stakes in governing-body competitions, "such as the World Cup", to private investors.
Pinto's lawyers said the decision to end his participation in the witness protection programme left him at heightened risk and pointed out that legal proceedings stemming from the leaks remain ongoing, including the case against Manchester City. Pinto has set up a fundraising page to help him "survive this serious situation", which he says was "created by the Portuguese State". BBC Sport has approached the Commission for the Protection of Victims of Crimes in Portugal for comment.