Football Leaks founder Rui Pinto in talks over UK cooperation deal
Football Leaks founder Rui Pinto is seeking protection from British authorities in exchange for helping with financial crime inquiries, as he appeals a decision to end his witness protection in Portugal.
Lawyers for Rui Pinto are in talks with British authorities over a potential cooperation agreement after the Serious Fraud Office contacted his representatives.Pinto’s lawyer, William Bourdon said: “I can confirm that the process is under way,” without giving further details about what his client might provide or what protection he is seeking.A Serious Fraud Office spokesperson told City AM: “In line with long established practice to avoid prejudice to law enforcement activity, we can neither confirm nor deny any investigation into this matter.”The reported contact does not establish that the SFO has opened a formal investigation into Manchester City or that an agreement with Pinto has been reached.Pinto collected tens of millions of files between 2015 and 2019, including records on contracts and financial arrangements involving some of Europe’s biggest clubs and players.He worked with media outlets including Der Spiegel to publish material that prompted UEFA and the Premier League to investigate Manchester City’s sponsorship agreements and contracts.A Premier League commission found City in breach of financial rules in September, concluding that the club had concealed more than £900 million in contributions from its Abu Dhabi ownership by recording them as sponsorship income, according to City AM.City has appealed the verdict, which concerned more than 100 breaches over a period from 2009 to 2018.Pinto was told on September 30, shortly after the City ruling, that Portuguese authorities planned to end his witness protection after six years.Implementation of that decision was suspended after it emerged that he had not been given an opportunity to challenge it, and he is now awaiting a ruling on his appeal.French authorities also hold copies of material from Pinto’s electronic devices, which they obtained in Budapest after his arrest in Hungary in 2019 and before his extradition to Portugal, The Guardian reported.Pinto received a four-year suspended prison sentence in Portugal in 2023 for attempted extortion and cybercrime offences.He was acquitted in a separate case involving similar charges in 2025, but appeals by Portuguese prosecutors and Benfica, one of the clubs targeted by Pinto, remain pending.The potential British agreement could extend beyond the Manchester City case, with The Guardian reporting that Pinto’s files may help authorities identify possible tax offences and other financial irregularities.