Rui Pinto of Football Leaks set to lose witness protection on 10 October

Rui Pinto, the Portuguese founder of Football Leaks, is set to lose his witness protection in Portugal on 10 October, despite fears for his life. BBC Sport reports that the 37-year-old said on X that ending his participation in the programme has left him in a “life-threatening situation”, citing “multiple death threats” and a “serious risk” of an assassination attempt.

Pinto joined the protection programme in 2020 after agreeing to cooperate with authorities and provide files obtained through Football Leaks. Those documents helped trigger a Premier League investigation that ended with Manchester City found guilty on all charges for breaches of the league’s financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, a verdict the club is appealing.

Ongoing court cases

Although Pinto presents himself as a whistleblower, he was convicted in Portugal for offences including illegal access to data and attempted extortion, receiving a four-year suspended sentence. He wore a bulletproof vest during his first trial in 2020, and earlier this year he was acquitted in a second trial covering 241 counts of illegally accessing email accounts belonging to sports bodies in Portugal, including Benfica.

Pinto has also renewed accusations against FIFA president Gianni Infantino, saying the executive “has become a cancer on football” and should have no place in the game’s future. His lawyers say ending his witness protection leaves him at heightened risk while legal proceedings stemming from the leaks are still ongoing, including the case involving Manchester City. He has launched a fundraising page to help him “survive this serious situation”, which he claims was “created by the Portuguese State”.