Rui Pinto, the whistleblower behind the Football Leaks operation, is set to lose his place in Portugal's witness protection programme on 10 October, a decision he says has put him in a "life-threatening situation."
Pinto posted on X that the move leaves him with no alternative but to relocate to an undisclosed location due to "multiple death threats" and "the serious risk of an assassination attempt." The 37-year-old was convicted in Portugal of offences including illegal access to data and attempted extortion, receiving a four-year suspended sentence.
On Wednesday, Pinto turned his attention to Fifa president Gianni Infantino, repeating allegations that Infantino intervened to help Manchester City and Paris St-Germain avoid financial fair play sanctions. A statement from Pinto's lawyers said the decision to end his protection leaves him at heightened risk, noting legal proceedings including the case against Manchester City remain ongoing.
Pinto has set up a fundraising page to help him "survive this serious situation," which he claims was "created by the Portuguese State."
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing