Rui Pinto, the Football Leaks whistleblower whose disclosures helped trigger investigations into Manchester City’s finances, says he is facing a serious threat to his safety after Portugal moved to end his protected-witness status. Pinto was notified on September 30 that his protection is due to end on October 10, shortly after the Premier League confirmed City’s guilty verdict. He says he has received multiple death threats and fears an assassination attempt, with plans to relocate to an undisclosed location.
Rui Pinto Protection Ends After Man City Verdict
Pinto entered Portugal’s witness protection programme in 2020 after agreeing to cooperate with authorities and provide access to millions of files collected through Football Leaks. His disclosures subsequently became central to investigations into Manchester City’s financial affairs.
The timing of the decision has drawn attention because it came days after an independent Premier League commission found Manchester City guilty of all charges concerning serious financial-rule breaches between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons, along with three of four alleged failures to cooperate.
The Premier League said the commission found that sham commercial arrangements had artificially increased City’s revenues and reduced costs by more than £900 million.
Manchester City has denied wrongdoing and has appealed the commission’s findings. No final sporting sanction has yet been imposed.
Manchester City Charges: Rui Pinto Fears Assassination Attempt
Pinto and his legal team have challenged the decision to remove his protection, arguing that he remains vulnerable and was not given an opportunity to respond before the decision was taken. His lawyers said ending the programme could leave him more exposed than at any point since 2020.
Pinto has said he received multiple death threats and fears that an assassination attempt could be made against him. Portuguese authorities, however, have assessed the current security risk as low. Pinto was also assaulted in Lisbon in April while under protection, an incident that was reported to police.
His next move is expected to take him to an undisclosed location for an indefinite period. His legal team is pursuing an appeal aimed at reinstating protection while the dispute is reviewed.
