Man City whistleblower Rui Pinto could help UK uncover more sporting crime

Résumé détaillé

Rui Pinto is 'in talks' with UK authorities to help uncover more crime in exchange for police protection, reports say.

Football whistleblower Rui Pinto, whose leaks triggered an investigation into Manchester City’s financial misconduct, has held discussions with authorities in the United Kingdom over a new role in helping uncover financial and sporting crime in the country, reports in British media say.

Pinto’s lawyers have been contacted by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) after he stated he would be willing to assist UK authorities with investigations in exchange for police protection, British newspaper The Guardian reported on Wednesday.

Al Jazeera sought confirmation of Pinto’s reported contact with the authorities, but the SFO did not confirm whether the whistleblower was in talks.

“In line with long-established practice to avoid prejudice to law enforcement activity, we can neither confirm nor deny any investigation into this matter,” the SFO said in an emailed statement to Al Jazeera.

Pinto appeared to confirm the reports of his discussions with the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) by reposting an article on his social media account.

The 38-year-old is the founder of the website Football Leaks, which obtained private documents that showed City broke league rules from 2009 to 2018, leading to a probe by the Premier League’s independent commission.

City were found guilty of all but one of 115 charges brought against them over breaches of Premier League financial rules.

Pinto’s lawyer, William Bourdon, who has represented other high-profile whistleblowers including Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, was quoted by the Guardian as saying: “I can confirm that the process is under way.”

Pinto said last month that he feared for his life after being told his witness protection programme would end on October 10 and launched a crowdfunding initiative to help him establish an anonymous new life.

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