Rui Pinto to Lose Portugal Witness Protection on Oct 10, Says He Faces 'Multiple Death Threats'

Rui Pinto, the Portuguese hacker behind Football Leaks whose documents helped trigger probes into some of European football's biggest clubs, says Portugal will end his participation in its witness protection programme on 10 October. Pinto has warned that the decision leaves him exposed to 'multiple death threats' and the 'serious risk of an assassination attempt,' and says he will relocate to an undisclosed location.

Background: Football Leaks and the Manchester City Case

The 37-year-old built Football Leaks into a major whistleblowing operation. The files Pinto passed to German magazine Der Spiegel in 2018 provided key material that underpinned the Premier League's investigation into Manchester City for alleged breaches of financial rules. Last week the Premier League found Manchester City guilty of all charges related to breaches between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons; the club has lodged an appeal.

Protection, Cooperation and Its End

Pinto entered Portugal's witness protection programme in 2020 after agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors and handing over his Football Leaks files. That arrangement afforded him a measure of security while journalists, prosecutors and football regulators examined the material. Pinto says that protection is due to end on 10 October and that he has 'no alternative' but to move to a secret location for an indefinite period.

'The termination of my protection puts me in a life-threatening situation,' Pinto posted on X.

A statement from Pinto's lawyers said ending his participation in the programme increases the risk to his safety, especially while legal actions and appeals linked to the leaks remain active, including the case involving Manchester City. Pinto has also launched an online fundraising page saying he needs support to 'survive this serious situation' which he attributes to decisions by the Portuguese state.

Legal Record And Public Debate

Pinto's story is legally and morally complex. He describes himself as a whistleblower, but Portuguese courts convicted him on counts that included illegal access to data and attempted extortion, leading to a four-year suspended sentence. He attended his first trial in 2020 wearing a bulletproof vest amid heightened security. Earlier this year he was acquitted on another set of charges involving 241 counts of illegal access to email accounts linked to several Portuguese sports organisations, including Benfica. These split rulings reflect the tension at the heart of Pinto's case: courts have punished how some material was obtained even as regulators and journalists relied on that material to pursue investigations.

New Accusations Against FIFA's Gianni Infantino

Days before his protection is scheduled to end, Pinto publicly renewed allegations first made in 2018 accusing FIFA president Gianni Infantino of acting to help Manchester City and Paris St-Germain evade UEFA financial sanctions. Pinto called Infantino 'a cancer on football' and said he should have no place in the sport's future. The allegation arrives amid broader scrutiny of Infantino's proposals to commercialise parts of FIFA competitions.

Observers note the timing is politically charged: a source who says he is about to lose state protection has strong incentives to amplify accusations against powerful figures, and any renewed scrutiny could affect ongoing investigations and public debate.

What Happens Next

Key questions remain unanswered. Manchester City's appeal is ongoing. Portugal's Commission for the Protection of Victims of Crimes had not publicly responded to requests for comment at the time of publication. Pinto says he will move to an undisclosed location once his protection ends, but there is no guarantee protection will be restored.

For now, Pinto's situation highlights the human and security costs of major leaks and whistleblowing in sport. The documents he released reshaped scrutiny of one of football's wealthiest clubs and briefly raised questions about conduct at the top of the sport. How authorities handle his protection in the coming days could have consequences long after legal debates over points and titles are resolved.