Website provided evidence that led to Manchester City’s ban but Pinto has more information and ‘authorities are afraid’
Lisbon’s Judiciary Police
prison is situated just down the road from Eduardo VII Park, one of the Portuguese capital’s most popular tourist attractions that is famed for its spectacular views of the city and the River Tagus. With only around 25 tiny cells and based in the depths of the giant white building which is the headquarters of the country’s antiterrorist and serious crime authorities, the high-security facility is usually reserved for only the most dangerous criminals. For almost the past year, however, it has also been home to Rui Pinto.
The 31-year-old, who created the
Football Leaks website which provided some of the evidence that led to Manchester City’s
Champions League ban and numerous other investigations into tax evasion and corruption in football and beyond, is still awaiting trial for alleged extortion, violation of secrecy and illegally accessing information despite being extradited to his homeland from Hungary in March 2019. Last week, his lawyers filed a complaint to the
European Commission over inconsistencies in the original arrest warrant that accused Pinto of only six offences before that was increased to 147 while he was in custody.