{
  "id": 11650166,
  "title": "Man City whistleblower to lose witness protection",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/man-city-whistleblower-to-lose-witness-protection",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-03T08:16:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Adom Online",
    "slug": "adom-online",
    "url": "https://www.adomonline.com/man-city-whistleblower-to-lose-witness-protection/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Football Leaks founder Rui Pinto, who released confidential documents that led to Manchester City's investigation, is set to lose his witness protection program in Portugal. Pinto, 37, has received death threats and fears for his life due to alleged assassination attempts. Allegedly accused of illegal data access and attempted extortion in Portugal, Pinto was convicted and placed in the witness protection program in 2020. Despite his fears, Pinto posted on social media that losing his witness protection is putting his life in \"life-threatening\" danger. The termination has forced him to relocate to an undisclosed location for an indefinite period. The Portuguese Commission for the Protection of Victims of Crimes is being asked to comment on the matter. Pinto has faced legal proceedings stemming from the Football Leaks operation, including a case against Manchester City.",
  "summary": "The Portuguese computer hacker who released documents which helped trigger the Premier League investigation into Manchester City is set to lose his witness protection despite his fears he could be assassinated. Football Leaks founder Rui Pinto released a tranche of confidential football documents, including emails and financial records relating to the English Premier League side. […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "RTE News",
        "title": "Man City whistleblower facing 'dire consequence - lawyers",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/man-city-whistleblower-facing-dire-consequence-lawyers",
        "published": "2026-10-02T14:43:55.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Man City whistleblower Rui Pinto facing 'dire consequences' - lawyers",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/man-city-whistleblower-rui-pinto-facing-dire-consequences-lawyers",
        "published": "2026-10-02T14:51:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Sport Football",
        "title": "Man City whistleblower set to lose protection amid fears for life",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/man-city-whistleblower-set-to-lose-protection-amid-fears-for-life",
        "published": "2026-10-02T19:26:13.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Man City whistleblower to lose witness protection",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/man-city-whistleblower-to-lose-witness-protection",
        "published": "2026-10-02T19:26:19.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Man City probe whistleblower Rui Pinto to lose protected witness status, lawyers warn of ‘dire consequences’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/man-city-probe-whistleblower-rui-pinto-to-lose-protected-witness",
        "published": "2026-10-03T02:30:21.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}