// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Man City whistleblower to lose witness protection
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.
In 2018, he shared documents with German magazine Der Spiegel, which used them for investigations into City's finances and alleged breaches of financial fair play rules.
Last week, City were found guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, which they have appealed.
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Pinto became part of Portugal's witness protection programme in 2020 after agreeing to co-operate with authorities and provide files obtained through the Football Leaks operation.
He posted on X on Friday, external that the decision to terminate his participation in the programme on 10 October has put him in a "life-threatening situation".
The 37-year-old said it had left him with no alternative but to relocate to an undisclosed location for an indefinite period because of "multiple death threats" and "the serious risk of an assassination attempt".
BBC Sport has approached the Commission for the Protection of Victims of Crimes in Portugal for comment.