Rui Pinto faces loss of witness safeguarding in Portugal
More documents over City affairs may be made available
Rui Pinto, whose leaks helped to trigger the Premier League’s investigation into Manchester City’s financial affairs, is prepared to help authorities in the UK with their legal case in exchange for protection from threats, the Guardian understands.
Despite the crowdfunding campaign launched on Friday to fund a new life after leaving the protection of the Portuguese police, the whistleblower’s priority remains to cooperate, provided adequate security arrangements are in place.
In addition to the sporting ramifications of the case being conducted against City by the Premier League, British authorities could also decide to extend the inquiry. That has already occurred in Portugal in relation to some of the documents disclosed by Pinto. City were found guilty of more than 100 charges by an independent commission that unearthed “sham” contracts to boost income artificially by 900m, an investigation that was prompted by Pinto’s leaks of thousands of private documents.
City confirmed on Friday the club will appeal against the tribunal’s verdict.
With detailed knowledge of the documents, individuals and companies involved in the case – as well as documents that may have been overlooked during the investigation – Rui Pinto is willing to continue as a protected witness in another country, it is understood.
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