Rui Pinto: Hacker who released Man City documents fears for life as he prepares to lose witness protection
Hacker Rui Pinto faces the termination of his witness protection program in Portugal, citing fears of assassination following his role in the Manchester City financial scandal. Pinto remains a controversial figure, having been convicted of illegal data access while being hailed as a whistleblower.
Why it matters
This highlights the tension between legal accountability for cybercrimes and the protection of individuals who reveal systemic corruption.
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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