Rui Pinto, the whistleblower whose document leaks helped trigger the Premier League's investigation into Manchester City's financial affairs, has lost his protected witness status with Portuguese authorities. This decision was made on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, according to documents seen by the Guardian.
Pinto, 37, who is behind the Football Leaks website, had been a protected witness since 2020. He was advised to "exercise caution with family contacts" and avoid social media following the decision.
Portuguese police have deemed the risk to Pinto's safety to be low, despite an assault in Lisbon in April that left him with a bruised eyebrow. No formal complaint was filed regarding that incident.
Pinto was handed a suspended four-year sentence in September 2023 after being found guilty of attempted extortion, illegal data access, and breach of correspondence. His information concerning City's finances was passed to Der Spiegel and its partners, leading to separate investigations by UEFA and the Premier League.
Manchester City was found guilty of 114 charges spanning nine seasons by the Premier League on Tuesday, 29 September 2026. Pinto described this as a "historic decision for English football" on social media.