Portuguese whistleblower Rui Pinto, the mastermind behind the Football Leaks website, which exposed Manchester City's financial irregularities, is facing dire consequences after his protected witness status was revoked. Pinto's lawyers, Francisco and Luisa Teixeira da Mota, along with William Bourdon and Vincent Brengarth, stated that Pinto was informed on Wednesday that his special security program would end on October 10. This decision leaves Pinto vulnerable, as he will lose his secure housing and confidential accommodations.
Pinto has been a protected witness since August 2020, after agreeing to grant Portuguese authorities access to millions of files gathered before his arrest. In January 2019, Pinto was arrested in Hungary and subsequently extradited to Portugal, where he spent over a year in pre-trial detention. He agreed to cooperate with authorities by granting them access to the encrypted data in his possession. As a result, Pinto was both a defendant and a protected witness for the Portuguese justice system.
The 37-year-old Pinto, a former history student and self-taught computer expert, admitted hacking computers to obtain millions of documents, which he began publishing online in late 2015. The leaked information was passed on to a consortium of European investigative media outlets, exposing questionable practices involving star football players, clubs, and agents. This led to tax adjustments and judicial investigations in several countries.
Pinto's lawyers expressed concern that the threats against him are not merely theoretical, citing an assault in Lisbon last April. They noted that Pinto's revelations implicated powerful figures with vast resources, and numerous resulting legal proceedings are still ongoing. Abruptly deprived of his protected housing, Pinto is reportedly more vulnerable now than at any time since 2020.
A Portuguese court handed Pinto a suspended four-year sentence in September 2023 after he was found guilty on counts of attempted extortion, illegal access to data, and breach of correspondence. Despite this, Pinto continues to cooperate with investigators from other European countries. His lawyers described the decision to revoke his protected witness status as having dire consequences.
Pinto's situation has raised concerns about the protection of whistleblowers. His lawyers emphasized that the decision to revoke his protected witness status was made without a prior hearing, as required by law. This has left Pinto with no guarantee that police protection will be maintained, forcing him to find a new home urgently.
The Football Leaks website, founded by Pinto, helped trigger the Premier League probe into Manchester City's finances. Pinto's case highlights the challenges faced by whistleblowers who expose sensitive information. His situation will likely have implications for the protection of witnesses and the handling of sensitive cases in the future.
Key points
- Rui Pinto, the founder of Football Leaks, faces dire consequences after losing his protected witness status.
- Pinto's lawyers express concern over his safety, citing an assault in Lisbon last April and ongoing legal proceedings.
- The decision to revoke Pinto's protected witness status was made without a prior hearing, leaving him vulnerable.
