Rui Pinto retains witness protection after Portugal reverses withdrawal decision

Rui Pinto, the Football Leaks founder whose disclosures helped prompt the Premier League investigation into Manchester City, will remain under witness protection in Portugal after a decision to end it was suspended. BBC Sport reported that his protection had been due to stop on Saturday, October 10.

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The reversal follows procedural failings identified by Portugal's special security programmes commission, known as CPES. According to Observador's account of a Ministry of Justice statement, Pinto had not been properly informed of the reasons for ending the programme or given an opportunity to challenge them. The commission declared its September 22 decision invalid.

Justice Minister Rita Alarcao Judice met the commission on Thursday to discuss Pinto's situation, Observador reported. He will now receive the risk reassessment report and relevant material from the commission's meeting records. He has 10 working days to respond, giving him a formal opportunity to address the evidence underpinning the proposed withdrawal of his protection.

Pinto, 37, supplied confidential football documents to German magazine Der Spiegel in 2018, including emails and financial records relating to City. BBC Sport reported that the material was used in investigations into the club's finances and alleged financial fair play breaches. He entered Portugal's protection programme in 2020 after agreeing to cooperate with authorities.

The BBC also reported that City had been found guilty of charges concerning Premier League financial regulations covering the 2009-10 to 2017-18 seasons. The club has appealed. Pinto's documents helped trigger the inquiry into those matters.

Pinto's cooperation with investigators has taken place alongside criminal proceedings over his own activities. Portuguese broadcaster RTP reported that he received a four-year suspended prison sentence in September 2023 in the Football Leaks case, for offences including attempted extortion, aggravated violation of correspondence and unlawful access.

The continued protection is not a permanent resolution. Observador reported that the ministry said a fresh decision on whether to maintain or close the programme would follow the disclosure process and consideration of any response Pinto submits. His special security measures remain in force until that decision.