Rui Pinto, the Portuguese hacker whose Football Leaks revelations helped trigger one of the Premier League’s biggest investigations into Manchester City, is set to lose his witness protection despite saying he fears for his life.
Pinto released a large collection of confidential football documents, including emails and financial records relating to Manchester City.
In 2018, he shared the material with German magazine Der Spiegel, which used the documents in investigations into the club’s finances and alleged financial fair play breaches, as reported by BBC Sport.
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Last week, Manchester City were found guilty of breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations relating to the period between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons. The club has appealed the verdict.
Pinto became part of Portugal’s witness protection programme in 2020 after agreeing to cooperate with authorities and provide access to files obtained through the Football Leaks operation. His special security programme is now due to end on October 10.
The 37-year-old said on X on Friday that the decision had put him in a “life-threatening situation”. He said he had received “multiple death threats” and claimed there was a “serious risk of an assassination attempt” against him.
On Wednesday, just hours after the verdict officially confirming Manchester City’s guilt, the Commission responsible for Portugal’s witness protection programme informed me of its decision to terminate my participation in the programme and withdraw my police protection, thereby…
— Rui Pinto (@RuiPinto_FL) October 2, 2026
Pinto added that he had no alternative but to move to an undisclosed location for an indefinite period.
Pinto’s Legal Battle
Pinto’s lawyers have also criticised the decision to end his protection. In a statement, they said the move would leave him without his secure accommodation and with no guarantee that police protection would continue.
They also pointed to ongoing legal proceedings linked to the Football Leaks disclosures, including the Manchester City case.
Pinto has described himself as a whistleblower. However, he was convicted in Portugal of offences including illegal access to data and attempted extortion and received a four-year suspended sentence.
He wore a bulletproof vest during his first trial in 2020, which was held under heightened security measures.
Earlier this year, Pinto was acquitted in a second trial involving 241 counts of illegally accessing email accounts belonging to several sports organisations in Portugal, including Benfica.
Rui Pinto And Gianni Infantino
Pinto has also recently turned his attention to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
On Wednesday, he accused Infantino of having “become a cancer on football” and said he should “have no place in the future of the game”.
Pinto also repeated allegations he made in 2018 that Infantino had intervened to help Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain avoid financial fair play sanctions from UEFA.
Back in 2014, there was a man who was already aware of the irregularities involving Manchester City. That man now runs FIFA. The infamous Gianni Infantino, then UEFA General Secretary, abused his authority, shared confidential documents and, in short, outmanoeuvred the…
— Rui Pinto (@RuiPinto_FL) September 30, 2026
Those are allegations made by Pinto and have not been established as facts.
Infantino’s position has also faced scrutiny over plans involving the sale of stakes in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors in America.
Pinto Launches Fundraiser
Pinto has now launched a fundraising campaign to help him deal with the situation. He said the campaign would help him “survive this serious situation”, which he claimed was “created by the Portuguese State”.
“I have just set up a GoFundMe campaign and I am asking for everyone’s support to help me survive this serious situation created by the Portuguese State, which, as I have already stated, has knowingly decided to place my life at risk.”
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His lawyers have called for the decision to end his protection to be reconsidered, while Portuguese authorities have yet to publicly respond to the concerns raised by his legal team.
Pinto’s witness protection is scheduled to end on October 10.
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