Hacker whose website triggered Manchester City probe to remain under police protection

Computer hacker Rui Pinto, who created the Football Leaks website that helped trigger the Premier League investigation into Manchester City's finances, will continue to receive police protection, Portuguese authorities confirmed on Friday.The protection measures were due to expire on Saturday but will remain in place until a new decision is made, Portugal's Justice Ministry said in a statement, news agency AFP reported.The ministry added that an earlier decision to end the protection had been cancelled because Pinto had not been "duly informed of the reasons for the decision" and had not been given an opportunity to challenge it.Pinto's lawyers had raised concerns last week over irregularities in the proceedings and the threats facing their client. The 37-year-old was assaulted in Lisbon last April and said he had to move to a secret location "due to the multiple death threats" he had received.Pinto has been a protected witness since 2020, when he agreed to give Portuguese authorities access to millions of files he had collected before his arrest.He was arrested in Hungary, where he was living, in January 2019 and extradited to Portugal. He spent more than a year in pre-trial detention before agreeing to cooperate with authorities by providing access to the encrypted data in his possession.Pinto has occupied two roles in the Portuguese justice system, as both a defendant and a protected witness. He is also cooperating with investigators in other European countries.During his first trial, the former history student and self-taught computer expert admitted hacking into computers to obtain millions of documents. He began publishing the material online in late 2015.The documents were later shared with a group of European investigative media organisations. Their reporting exposed questionable practices involving high-profile footballers, clubs and agents, leading to tax adjustments and judicial investigations in several countries.In September 2023, a Portuguese court handed Pinto a suspended four-year sentence after finding him guilty of attempted extortion, illegal access to data and breach of correspondence.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.