Rui Pinto, the whistleblower behind Manchester City’s initial charges, said he is going into hiding after claiming to have received “multiple death threats”.
Pinto, a Portuguese hacker, has been a protected witness since 2020 after agreeing to give Portuguese authorities access to millions of files acquired before his arrest in Budapest.
He has been heavily involved in City’s case since creating the website Football Leaks.
Pinto’s lawyers issued a statement saying Pinto had been informed that his special security status would end on October 10.
The 37-year-old took to social media, saying he is at “serious risk of assassination”.
He wrote: “On Wednesday, just hours after the verdict officially confirming Manchester City’s guilt, the commission responsible for Portugal’s witness protection programme informed me of its decision to terminate my participation in the programme and withdraw my police protection, thereby knowingly placing me in a life-threatening situation.
“Given these circumstances, I have no alternative but to relocate, within the next few days, to an undisclosed location for an indefinite period of time, due to the multiple death threats I have received and the serious risk of an assassination attempt against me.
“For this reason, I have just set up a GoFundMe campaign, and I am asking for everyone’s support to help me survive this serious situation created by the Portuguese state, which, as I have already stated, has knowingly decided to place my life at risk.
Manchester City whistleblower Rui Pinto has received ‘multiple death threats’ and been forced to relocate
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GETTY
“I would like to take this opportunity to extend a special thanks to everyone who continues to support Football Leaks, and I can give everyone one guarantee: the fight will most certainly continue.”
Pinto hopes to raise £2.5million in donations.
City continue to plead their innocence and have formally appealed against the independent commission’s findings in the Premier League’s financial case.
The club says the commission’s opinion contains “clear material errors” of law, principle and fact and is “unsafe”.
Manchester City have consistently denied any wrongdoing | PACity maintain they are innocent of the Premier League’s accusations.
City wrote: “Manchester City Football Club can confirm that at 7pm on Thursday October 1, 2026 the Club lodged its comprehensive Appeal against the opinion of the Premier League Commission, in relation to the Premier League disciplinary matter.
“The Club’s firm position is that, on multiple grounds, the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe.
“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.
City have formally appealed against the independent commission’s findings in the Premier League’s financial case
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GETTY“We will continue to respect due process and are necessarily restricted in what we can say further until all proceedings are complete.”
City’s appeal comes after the commission ruled on allegations covering the 2009-10 to 2017-18 seasons.
It found the club had breached financial rules, including through sponsorship arrangements it described as part of a “disguised funding scheme”.
City have consistently denied wrongdoing.
