Rui Pinto, whose leaks helped spark the Premier League’s investigation into Manchester City’s finances, is willing to assist UK authorities with their legal case in return for protection from threats, the Guardian has learned.
Despite a crowdfunding campaign launched on Friday to help him start a new life after leaving the Portuguese police’s protection programme, the whistleblower’s main priority is still to cooperate—as long as proper security arrangements are in place.
Beyond the sporting consequences of the Premier League’s case against City, British authorities may also decide to widen their inquiry. That has already happened in Portugal regarding some of the documents Pinto released. An independent commission found City guilty of more than 100 charges, uncovering “sham” contracts used to artificially inflate income by £900m—an investigation triggered by Pinto’s leaks of thousands of private documents.
City confirmed on Friday that the club will appeal against the tribunal’s verdict.
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With detailed knowledge of the documents, people and companies involved in the case—as well as documents that may have been missed during the investigation—Rui Pinto is willing to continue as a protected witness in another country, it is understood.
Just days before his arrest in Budapest in January 2019, the 37-year-old Portuguese national was negotiating entry into a witness protection programme in France, but Portuguese authorities halted the plan.
If it is confirmed that Rui Pinto will no longer be a protected witness in Portugal, he will be free to cooperate with authorities in other countries from 10 October. He has cooperated occasionally with French, German and Belgian authorities. The UK could now be added to that list if it wishes.
Pinto’s potential contribution in the UK could go well beyond the City scandal. The hundreds of millions of files he gathered as part of Football Leaks and Luanda Leaks are not held solely by the Portuguese authorities.
Between his arrest in Hungary and his extradition to Portugal, French authorities travelled to Budapest and copied the contents of all the electronic devices in the whistleblower’s possession. Rui Pinto was later acquitted of 241 counts after a second trial in Portugal in April this year.
The documents can now be shared between countries as part of international cooperation between nations with bilateral ties, including the UK.
Rui Pinto is now waiting to learn what his future holds. His defence team protested against the decision to end his protection, accusing Portugal of “state terrorism”. The whistleblower’s lawyers said they had appealed against the decision and had tried to find out how the risk assessment had been carried out, but had received no response.
The hacker says he wants to leave Portugal for a secret location. At the time of writing, more than €19,000 (£16,530) had already been raised by a crowdfunding campaign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of frequently asked questions about the Manchester City whistleblower situation
The Basics
What is a whistleblower
A whistleblower is a person who exposes secret or illegal activity happening inside an organization like a company or a government agency
What is the Manchester City case about
The case involves Manchester City Football Club which is accused of breaking financial rules These rules are meant to keep competition fair The club denies any wrongdoing
Who is the whistleblower in this situation
Reports say it is a former employee of Manchester City This person claims to have direct knowledge of the clubs financial activities
What does assist UK authorities mean
It means the whistleblower is offering to share information and evidence with official bodies in the UK like the Premier League or government regulators to help their investigation
What does in exchange for protection mean
The whistleblower is asking for safety and legal cover in return for their help This could mean protection from being sued from losing their job or from other forms of retaliation
Why This Matters
Why would a whistleblower need protection
They might fear retaliation from the organization they are exposing This could include being fired sued harassed or blacklisted from working in their industry again
What are the benefits of being a whistleblower
The main benefit is helping to stop illegal or unethical behavior In some cases whistleblowers can also receive a financial reward or legal protection
What are the risks for the whistleblower
The risks include personal and professional retaliation costly legal battles and significant stress Their career and reputation could be damaged even if they are telling the truth
Why is this story important for football
If the allegations are proven it could lead to severe punishments for Manchester City like a huge fine a points deduction or even being kicked out of the league This would change the landscape of English football
The Process and Challenges
How does a whistleblower legally get protection in the UK
In the UK laws like the Public Interest Disclosure Act offer some protection To get it the whistleblower must report the issue to the right person and the disclosure must be in the public interest
What is the biggest challenge for the authorities in a case like this
The biggest challenge is often proving the allegations
