Man City whistleblower to lose witness protection
Rui Pinto, the whistleblower behind the 'Football Leaks' documents that exposed Manchester City's financial irregularities, is set to lose his witness protection status. Pinto claims this decision leaves him vulnerable to assassination attempts and has forced him into hiding.
Why it matters
The case highlights the precarious position of whistleblowers in high-stakes sports and legal investigations, especially when their actions involve sensitive financial data.
The Portuguese computer hacker who released documents which helped trigger the Premier League investigation into Manchester City is set to lose his witness protection despite his fears he could be assassinated.
Football Leaks founder Rui Pinto released a tranche of confidential football documents, including emails and financial records relating to the English Premier League side.
In 2018, he shared documents with German magazine Der Spiegel, which used them for investigations into City's finances and alleged breaches of financial fair play rules.
Last week, City were found guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, which they have appealed.
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