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Who is Rui Pinto? The whistleblower abandoned by Portuguese authorities over Man City leaks

Pinto, the hacker who first revealed Man City’s financial cheating, has discovered he will lose his witness protection

Published: Sunday, 4 October 2026 at 9:16 AM
Who is Rui Pinto? The whistleblower abandoned by Portuguese authorities over Man City leaks
Key Things to Know
  • Whistleblower Rui Pinto will lose his witness protection status shortly after Manchester City's financial verdict.
  • Pinto leaked the confidential Football Leaks documents in 2018 that sparked the Premier League's investigation into Manchester City.
  • The 37-year-old was previously given a four-year suspended sentence in Lisbon in September 2023.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Rui Pinto, the Football Leaks hacker whose disclosures led to Manchester City's Premier League financial charges, has learned he will lose his Portuguese witness protection status. The 37-year-old will be forced to leave his protected residence on October 10, despite Manchester City being found guilty by an independent commission following the leaks he initially published in 2018.

Pinto's legal team criticized the move as leaving him in extreme danger following an assault in Lisbon and persistent death threats. In response, Pinto has launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking €3 million to fund an indefinite relocation, claiming the Portuguese government has deliberately endangered his life.

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