It took the Portuguese authorities 83 days to report that Rui Pinto would be without police protection. The hacker was informed 10 days before the deadline, which ends on October 10.
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07/10/2026
by
News to Minute, Lusa
It took the Portuguese authorities 83 days – almost three months – to inform the hacker behind Football Leaks that they would be without police protection. Rui Pinto was only informed 10 days before the deadline, which ends on October 10.
The news was advanced by Public, who pointed out this Wednesday that the Committee on Special Security Programmes (CPS) took the decision during meetings held on 8 and 9 July. However, Rui Pinto was not informed 83 days later on September 30.
On Saturday, The Guardian noted that the Portuguese would have been available to assist the British authorities in the court proceedings concerning the detection of financial irregularities committed by Manchester City in the English League in exchange for police protection.
On the same day, Justice Minister Rita Alarcão Júdice asserted that she is examining the decision, promising a response by the 10th.
“I'm getting the various requests. They're coming to my office now. We're looking very carefully. If there has been any irregularity, or if there has been any procedure that has not been more correct, of course it will be considered ", said.
Manchester City was found guilty of more than 100 accusations by an independent commission, which discovered contracts aimed at artificially increasing the club's revenue by £900 million (about € 1,058,580.000). On Friday, the club announced that it will appeal the decision, but the possible cooperation of the hacker may lead the British authorities to extend the investigation.
If Rui Pinto effectively ceases to be protected by the Portuguese State, he will be free to cooperate with the authorities of other countries as of October 10. The hacker has sporadically helped the French, German and Belgian authorities and may add British police to the list.
Anyway, Rui Pinto launched a fundraising campaign to move to “an undisclosed location“, as a result of the decision of the authorities, which was based “on the failure of the witness to comply with the programme in which it was inserted and on the reassessment report prepared by the PSP, in which it is concluded by a low level of risk”.
The complainant's lawyers revealed that this was notified last Wednesday that the Special Security Programme he has benefited from since August 2020 will end on October 10.
“ Within a few days, without having been previously heard, as the law requires, you will lose the protected and confidential residence assigned to you and you will be forced to urgently find a new dwelling, without any guarantee that police protection will continue. Your situation is now critical. The threats you are targeting are not merely theoretical: last April, you were attacked in Lisbon“, they advanced.
However, the lawyers pointed out that Rui Pinto cooperated with Portuguese justice, and it was precisely this cooperation that justified its integration into a protection program.
“ Its revelations, used by numerous judicial, fiscal and sporting authorities throughout Europe, starting with France, helped to enhance transparency and integrity in football. States that have benefited from their activities cannot simply turn their backs on the person who took the risks necessary to bring these facts to light,” they added.
Rui Pinto benefited from the status of protected witness six years ago, when he left preventive detention and agreed to collaborate with the authorities, being, among the lost benefits, the house where he lives under police protection, the supply of documents with false identification, free transportation and subsistence allowance.
The hacker was convicted in the Football Leaks case, in September 2023, by the Central Criminal Court of Lisbon, to four years in prison with suspended sentence, for attempted extortion crimes, aggravated correspondence violation and illegitimate access. In November 2023, he was also sentenced to six months in prison in France, also with suspended sentence, for illegally accessing Paris Saint-Germain emails. However, this year he was acquitted of 241 crimes in a second case related to the Football Leaks case.