Rui Pinto’s lawyers hold talks with British authorities over potential cooperation deal
Rui Pinto’s lawyers said on 10 November 2026 they are in talks with British authorities about a possible cooperation agreement that could involve the Manchester City whistleblower assisting UK investigations. The discussions follow contact from the Serious Fraud Office after Pinto indicated he was willing to help in exchange for protection.
William Bourdon, Pinto’s lawyer, told the Guardian that contact had been established and said: "I can confirm that the process is under way," without providing further details; Bourdon has previously represented whistleblowers Edward Snowden and Julian Assange. Between 2015 and 2019 Pinto collected tens of millions of files containing sensitive information, material that sources say may help identify potential tax offences and other irregularities.
If an agreement is reached, the Football Leaks founder could become a significant source of information in investigations into financial crime involving football, law firms and powerful business figures. The development was reported at a pivotal moment for Pinto, whose future under Portugal’s witness protection programme is uncertain.
Documents gathered by Pinto are in the possession of French authorities, who previously sought to include him in a witness protection programme; his arrest by Portuguese police in Hungary in January 2019 disrupted those plans. Between his arrest in Hungary and his extradition to Portugal, French authorities travelled to Budapest and copied the contents of the electronic devices in his possession, according to the report.
On 30 September Pinto was informed that he would no longer be protected by the Portuguese authorities after six years under the witness protection programme, though the authorities maintained there was no threat to his life and advised restrictions on his public activity. He was given 10 days’ warning, despite a decision having been taken in July, and the ruling’s implementation was suspended after it was established he had not been given an opportunity to mount a challenge or appeal.
In 2023 Pinto received a suspended four-year prison sentence in Portugal for attempted extortion and cybercrime offences; he was acquitted in a second case involving similar charges two years later. The public prosecutor’s office and Benfica appealed against that acquittal and a decision from the higher court is awaited.
Pinto rose to prominence by publishing disclosures that included Cristiano Ronaldo’s tax affairs, plans by Europe’s leading clubs to establish a European Super League and a series of controversial financial arrangements; those revelations triggered investigations and contributed to legal proceedings involving clubs and players across several countries. More recently, documents he collected became relevant to the Premier League’s investigation into Manchester City, which resulted in the club being found in breach of financial rules, and he was the whistleblower behind Luanda Leaks, which exposed the business empire of Isabel dos Santos; she denied corruption allegations.
Pinto has appealed the decision to remove him from Portugal’s witness protection programme and is awaiting a final ruling; separately, the higher court’s decision is awaited on the appeals against his acquittal.