Man City insider makes bold move just hours after surprising news
The Portuguese hacker who leaked documents that led to the Premier League’s investigation into Manchester City has taken drastic steps after learning he would lose witness protection in Portugal.
Rui Pinto, who shared secret info about several football clubs and started Football Leaks in 2018, joined Portugal’s witness protection program in 2020 after agreeing to work with authorities and hand over files he found while hacking.
The 37-year-old faced 147 charges, including computer fraud, attempted extortion, and breaking privacy laws.
Pinto was brought back to Portugal from Hungary in 2019 and later received a four-year suspended sentence. He was also cleared of 241 charges related to illegally accessing email accounts linked to sports clubs earlier in 2026.
On Friday, October 2, Pinto said he planned to leave Portugal after being told his witness protection would end.
He said he has “multiple death threats” and fears “a serious attempt on his life.”
“On September 30, 2026, just hours after Manchester City was officially found guilty, the team in charge of Portugal’s witness protection told me my protection was ending,” he posted on X.
“Because of this, I have no choice but to move to a secret location for an indefinite time to stay safe. I’ve started a GoFundMe and ask for everyone’s help to survive this dangerous situation created by the Portuguese state, which has put my life at serious risk.”
On October 3, The Guardian reported that Pinto was willing to help UK authorities with their case if they could offer him protection.
He remains open to cooperating in exchange for security.
Pinto tried to join a French witness protection program in 2019, but Portugal blocked it.
He has previously worked with police in France, Germany, and Belgium.
Last week, Manchester City was found guilty of breaking Premier League financial rules between 2009 and 2018.
The club has appealed the decision, saying they have strong evidence supporting them.
In a statement, City said: “On October 1, 2026, we officially appealed the Premier League’s decision. We believe there are clear errors in the ruling, and we are innocent of these accusations. We will respect the legal process and can’t say more until it’s finished.”
If the guilty verdict stands, possible punishments for City could include points deductions, match replays, suspension from the league, or even losing titles.
This is the first time a Premier League manager, Unai Emery, has spoken out about the case.