Rui Pinto will remain under police protection after Portuguese authorities voided a decision that had been due to end the Football Leaks whistleblower’s security arrangements on Saturday.
The Portuguese Justice Ministry said the Special Security Programmes Commission had invalidated its late-September ruling because Pinto had not been properly informed of the reasons behind it. That failure meant he had been unable to challenge the planned withdrawal of protection.
His police security will now stay in place until the commission reaches and communicates a fresh decision.
Threats and a reported assault
Pinto’s lawyers had opposed the planned end of the measures, arguing that threats against their client remained active. The 37-year-old computer hacker and whistleblower was reportedly assaulted in Lisbon in April.
He has said he must leave his home and move to an undisclosed location for an indefinite period. In a message posted on X, Pinto said: “I have no alternative but to move in the coming days to a secret place for an undetermined period because of the multiple death threats I have received.”
He has also launched an online fundraising campaign, saying it is intended to help him “survive this serious situation created by the Portuguese state”.
Football Leaks legacy
Pinto has held protected-witness status since August 2020 after agreeing to cooperate with Portuguese authorities. Material linked to Football Leaks has fed numerous investigations across European football.
Among the revelations were details that brought attention to financial breaches involving Manchester City.
In 2023, Pinto received a four-year suspended prison sentence for computer hacking and attempted extortion involving a sports investment fund. He was later acquitted in a second trial after the court found that the allegations substantially overlapped with the first case.
