Rui Pinto to lose witness protection status on October 10

Rui Pinto, the Portuguese whistleblower behind Football Leaks, will lose his official witness protection status in Portugal on October 10. His legal team and advocacy groups, including The Signals Network, have expressed grave concerns regarding his safety, noting that he has faced death threats and a physical assault in Lisbon this past April.

Pinto’s disclosures of confidential documents were instrumental in investigations into football financial irregularities, most notably the recent case involving Manchester City. Following the announcement that Manchester City was found guilty of 114 financial charges by the Premier League, Pinto stated he has no choice but to move to an unknown location to mitigate the risk of an assassination attempt.

His lawyers have criticized the decision to terminate his protection, arguing it was made without the required legal hearings. Pinto has launched a fundraising campaign seeking three million euros to finance his security and relocation. Additionally, Pinto has leveled accusations against FIFA President Gianni Infantino, claiming Infantino abused his authority as UEFA General Secretary in 2014 to protect certain clubs from deeper investigations.