Rui Pinto: What happens now?
Rui Pinto, the Portuguese whistleblower behind Football Leaks, has spent years at the center of major investigations into the football industry. His disclosures of millions of confidential documents have contributed to major investigations into football’s finances, including the recent Premier League case involving Manchester City. Now, after six years under witness protection in Portugal, Pinto has been told that he will no longer receive that protection, raising new concerns about his safety and what happens to whistleblowers after they come forward.
“The Signals Network has supported Football Leaks whistleblower Rui Pinto since 2019. We are very concerned by the decision of the Portuguese authorities to no longer protect him as a witness after October 10, 2026. Pinto has been a protected witness since 2020. We ask the Portuguese authorities to reconsider this decision and to make sure Rui Pinto remains safe. The threats against him are real. He was assaulted last April in Lisbon. The information he shared with journalists and European prosecutors has again led to a landmark ruling last week: an independent commission found Manchester City guilty of 114 financial charges brought by the Premier League,” said Delphine Halgand-Mishra, Founding Executive Director of The Signals Network.
Rui Pinto’s lawyers William Bourdon, Vincent Brengarth, Luísa Teixeira da Mota, Francisco Teixeira da Mota call on the Portuguese authorities to reconsider their decision as well.
About TSN
TSN is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to supporting whistleblowers who risk their livelihoods to share public interest information with the press. Founded in 2017 by journalists, whistleblowers and lawyers, TSN operates internationally to hold powerful interests accountable. TSN provides customized support to a selected group of whistleblowers who have contributed to published reports of significant wrongdoing. This support may include legal, psychological, physical safety, temporary safe-housing, online safety, career support and communication support.
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