Rui Pinto Stays Safe: Whistleblower's Witness Protection Extended

Rui Pinto, the Portuguese hacker who played a pivotal role in exposing Manchester City's financial conduct, will remain under witness protection. Authorities in Portugal have decided to suspend plans to remove him from the program, which he previously warned could put his life at risk. At 37 years old, Pinto has been the mastermind behind a wealth of confidential football documents that shed light on the inner workings of the Premier League club. His revelations, shared with German publication Der Spiegel in 2018, sparked an investigation into City’s financial practices and alleged violations of financial fair play regulations. Recently, Manchester City was found guilty of breaching these financial rules from the 2009-10 to the 2017-18 seasons, a verdict they are currently appealing. Pinto's role in this saga has made him a controversial figure in the football world. Since 2020, Pinto has been part of Portugal's witness protection program after agreeing to assist authorities with information gathered through the Football Leaks project. However, a recent decision to remove him from this protection was overturned. The special security programmes commission failed to properly notify Pinto about the reasons for this termination, denying him the chance to contest the ruling. Now, Pinto has been given ten days to evaluate a risk assessment report, which suggests a low threat level to his safety. He expressed gratitude towards Portugal's Minister of Justice, Rita Alarcao Judice, and criticized the initial decision as a blatant violation of the law. While Pinto sees himself as a whistleblower, his past includes a conviction in Portugal for offenses like illegal data access and attempted extortion, resulting in a four-year suspended sentence. Notably, he donned a bulletproof vest during his 2020 trial, which featured heightened security. Earlier this year, he was acquitted of numerous charges related to illegal access to email accounts belonging to various sports organizations in Portugal, including the famous Benfica.