Rui Pinto will remain under witness protection after Portuguese authorities suspended a decision to end his status. The intervention follows a sudden U-turn by the Ministry of Justice, granting the Manchester City whistleblower ten working days to review his risk assessment.
Ministry Restores Pinto Protection After Sudden Reversal
Portuguese authorities have suspended the decision to terminate witness protection for Football Leaks founder Rui Pinto. The special security programmes commission acknowledged that Pinto had not been properly notified of the reasons for ending his participation in the programme or given an adequate opportunity to contest the choice. The measures were initially scheduled to conclude on a Saturday before the intervention from the Justice Ministry.
Pinto now has ten working days to examine the risk assessment reports compiled by the commission, which officials indicate concluded a low threat to his safety. The whistleblower posted a statement on social media expressing his gratitude to Portugal’s Minister of Justice, Rita Alarcão Júdice, for overturning the initial ruling.
“I express my appreciation for the action taken by Portugal’s Minister of Justice, Rita Alarcão Júdice, who restored legality by overturning a decision made by the members of the Commission responsible for Portugal’s Witness Protection Programme, who acted in clear violation of the law and in a manifest abuse of power.”
Rui Pinto, whistleblower
Pinto expressed distrust toward the members of the commission. Prior to the ministry’s intervention, Pinto launched a fundraising campaign seeking to raise €2.5 million (£2.1/$2.8 million) to secure his financial future and manage his relocation.
Whistleblower Faces Threats During High-Profile Football Inquiries
Pinto has previously described facing a life-threatening situation and receiving multiple death threats. He was assaulted in Lisbon last April, leaving him with a bruised eyebrow, and stated that he faced a serious risk of an assassination attempt.
“Given these circumstances, I have no alternative but to relocate, within the next few days, to an undisclosed location for an indefinite period of time, due to the multiple death threats I have received and the serious risk of an assassination attempt against me.”
Rui Pinto, whistleblower
Pinto’s protected-witness status originated in April 2020 after he agreed to cooperate with the Portuguese judicial police, providing access to millions of files obtained from football clubs and other entities. His disclosures catalyzed investigations by tax, judicial, and sporting authorities across Europe, including the Premier League inquiry into Manchester City. While City deny wrongdoing and have appealed their recent guilty findings covering financial rule breaches between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, Pinto remains willing to assist British and French investigators.
Extradition and Court Battles Precede Witness Reversal
Arrested in Hungary in January 2019, he was extradited to Portugal and spent more than a year in pre-trial detention before offering investigators access to encrypted data. During his initial 2020 trial, he wore a bulletproof vest amid strict security measures and was later convicted of offences including illegal access to data and attempted extortion, receiving a suspended four-year sentence in September 2023.
A Portuguese court acquitted Pinto in a separate case involving 241 counts of illegally accessing email accounts belonging to domestic sports bodies, including Benfica. His defense team has consistently argued that withdrawing protection leaves him vulnerable while legal proceedings tied to his disclosures remain active.
