The Football Leaks scandal has taken a new turn as the hacker behind it, Rui Pinto, threatens to release a trove of Manchester City emails and documents. In a recent statement, Pinto asserted that these documents will prove that the club deliberately violated Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. This comes as City are already facing 115 Premier League charges for alleged financial irregularities, with a hearing expected to take place in the coming months.
Pinto, who gained access to thousands of City emails and leaked a significant number in 2018, has reportedly provided authorities in Germany and France with “millions” of additional documents. The 35-year-old, who has been in a witness protection program since 2020, claims that these documents will show “criminal relevancy.” He was found guilty of attempted extortion and illegal data access in Portugal but received a suspended sentence.
Among the leaked details were revelations about the club’s sponsorship income and former manager Roberto Mancini’s contract specifics. Pinto is believed to have retained the majority of documents related to City’s financial activities. City, however, vehemently deny any wrongdoing.
According to Pinto, the new documents will expose City’s concealment of payments through third parties, disguised as sponsorship revenue—a blatant FFP breach. He expressed confidence that the authorities would find criminal relevancy in the information he provided. A legal representative for Pinto confirmed that investigators had approached them to share Manchester City-related information that has not yet been released.
This is not the first time Pinto’s leaks have impacted City. In 2020, UEFA initially handed the club a two-year European ban and a hefty fine for breaking financial restrictions. However, City successfully overturned the suspension at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Despite this, the Premier League is moving forward with its investigation, and Pinto’s latest threat of releasing more incriminating evidence adds another layer of intrigue to the ongoing saga.
- Rui Pinto, the 35-year-old hacker, accessed and leaked thousands of City emails in 2018, threatening to release more.
- City faces a hearing for their 115 Premier League charges for financial irregularities this year.
- Pinto has provided authorities with ‘millions’ of documents, alleging they show ‘criminal relevancy.’
- He avoided prison despite a guilty verdict for attempted extortion and illegal data access.
- Previous leaks included details on sponsorship income and Roberto Mancini’s contract.
- City denies wrongdoing but is poised for a hearing on FFP breach allegations.
The Football Leaks scandal has taken an intriguing twist as Rui Pinto, the hacker responsible, threatens to release a trove of Manchester City emails and documents. In a recent statement, Pinto asserted his belief that the new information will prove City deliberately violated Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules, adding another layer of intrigue to the ongoing saga surrounding the club’s finances.