Pinto launches €3m appeal as he seeks protection to help UK authorities

Rui Pinto, whose Football Leaks disclosures helped trigger scrutiny of Manchester City’s finances, has launched a €3m GoFundMe campaign after being told his witness protection in Portugal will end.The Portuguese whistleblower is reportedly prepared to cooperate with UK authorities if adequate security arrangements are provided, potentially offering assistance beyond the Premier League’s disciplinary proceedings against City.His lawyers said: “His situation is now critical. The threats against him are not merely theoretical; he was assaulted in Lisbon last April.”Pinto’s fundraising page, launched on October 2, had collected more than €25,000 when checked on October 4, with the money intended to support his relocation and living arrangements following the withdrawal of official protection.He said he would move to an undisclosed location for an indefinite period, citing death threats and fears for his safety, while accusing the Portuguese authorities of knowingly exposing him to danger.Those accusations represent Pinto’s account of the decision, with his legal team seeking to challenge the termination of protection and establish the basis on which the authorities assessed the continuing risk.His lawyers say the programme is due to end on October 10, potentially leaving him without his protected residence and requiring him to find alternative accommodation urgently.Pinto entered the protection programme in 2020 after agreeing to cooperate with Portuguese investigators and provide material obtained through Football Leaks, which exposed confidential arrangements involving clubs, players, agents and commercial partners.His reported willingness to assist British authorities raises the possibility of further scrutiny of football’s financial arrangements, although there has been no confirmation that UK investigators have accepted his offer or agreed to protect him.City have appealed the independent commission’s findings concerning financial rule breaches between the 2009–10 and 2017–18 seasons, maintaining that the evidence supports their innocence.Confirming their appeal, City said: “The Club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case.“We will continue to respect due process and are necessarily restricted in what we can say further until all proceedings are complete.”Pinto’s protection dispute highlights a separate governance concern for football authorities, since access to sensitive evidence can depend on the security and cooperation of individuals who disclose it.The immediate next step is the challenge to Portugal’s decision before the scheduled October 10 withdrawal, while Pinto’s existing fundraising campaign seeks support for relocation and subsistence.