Football Leaks hacker threatens to rock sport with explosive emails he claims prove Man City deliberately cheated FFP
MANCHESTER CITY face the release of hundreds of damning club emails and documents — by the hacker behind the Football Leaks scandal.
Rui Pinto has threatened to send shockwaves through the football world again with explosive new papers the Portuguese believes will show City DELIBERATELY cheated Financial Fair Play rules.
Pinto, 35, gained access to thousands of the Etihad side’s emails and handed some to the media in 2018 — but kept hold of most of the documents.
The financial information previously leaked included details of ex-manager Roberto Mancini’s contract, as well as image-rights agreements involving Yaya Toure’s agents and emails about the club’s sponsorship income.
Pinto is preparing to release new documents, with City due before a hearing into 115 Premier League charges for alleged financial irregularities in November.
Pep Guardiola’s champions — who won an historic fourth consecutive Prem title last month — stand accused of concealing payments through third parties by disguising them as sponsorship revenue.
City deny all the charges and any wrongdoing.
It is thought some of the evidence that will be used at the hearing is as a result of Football Leaks.
Pinto, in a witness protection programme since 2020, told the OffShore-Alert Marbella Conference via video link from his safe house: “The Man City releases showed amounts of money being paid into by the club that were not mentioned to the football authorities.
“These documents are from part of the Premier League investigation into City. I have now handed five hard drives to French and German authorities with millions of documents, including more on City and I have described what is on each.
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“I am confident they will find criminal relevancy.”
A legal representative for Pinto added: “We have been approached by investigators to share information regarding Manchester City that has not been released before.
“We haven’t released the information yet but we have a massive file of Manchester City-related documents that has yet to be released.
“The files will be published at some point, we cannot say when but we will do it.”
Pinto revealed he has received anonymous death threats since Football Leaks.
He added: “I know that a group of European football clubs were investigating me.
“They met in London and were very worried about new leaks. They were looking to gather information about my life.”
Pinto’s actions forced Uefa into slapping City with an unprecedented two-year European ban for breaking FFP rules — a suspension the club successfully overturned — while also fining them nearly £25million.
Details over the salaries of global superstars Lionel Messi and Neymar, along with alleged tax evasion by Cristiano Ronaldo were also exposed, along with information on Gareth Bale’s £86m move from Tottenham to Real Madrid in 2013.
Pinto is also known for leaking plans, in 2018, to form the European Super League.
He received a six-month suspended sentence in November last year after admitting to illegally accessing confidential information on French champs Paris Saint-Germain.
City have said they were “surprised” by the pending FFP investigation.
They added: “The club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent Commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position.
“As such we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”