Portuguese Football Leaks founder Rui Pinto is set to lose his witness protection after authorities decided to terminate his participation in the programme on October 10, despite his claims that he faces multiple death threats.
Pinto, 37, released confidential football documents that helped trigger investigations into Manchester City’s finances.
In 2018, he shared files with German magazine Der Spiegel, which used them in investigations into the club’s finances and alleged breaches of financial regulations.
Manchester City were recently found guilty of 115 charges relating to breaches of Premier League financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.
The club has denied wrongdoing and lodged an appeal.
Pinto entered Portugal’s witness protection programme in 2020 after agreeing to cooperate with authorities and provide files obtained through the Football Leaks operation.
In a statement on X, Pinto said the termination of his protection had placed him in a “life-threatening situation”.
He said he had been forced to relocate to an undisclosed location indefinitely because of what he described as multiple death threats and a serious risk of an assassination attempt.
His lawyers have also challenged the decision, saying it leaves him without secure housing and with no guarantee of continued police protection while legal proceedings linked to the leaked documents remain ongoing. They said the decision had left Pinto at heightened risk.
Pinto describes himself as a whistleblower but was convicted in Portugal of offences including illegal access to data and attempted extortion. He received a four-year suspended sentence.
Earlier this year, he was acquitted in a separate case involving 241 counts of illegally accessing email accounts belonging to sports organisations in Portugal.
Pinto's disclosures have remained central to investigations into financial practices in football, including the case involving Manchester City
