Story
Rui Pedro Gonçalves Pinto, also known as Rui Pinto, is a prominent Portuguese activist and whistleblower. He is widely recognized for creating the Football Leaks website, which exposed corruption in the football industry. He is also behind other major leaks, such as the Malta Files and the Luanda Leaks, which exposed corruption and financial crimes.
Rui Pinto, the man who turned the football world upside down with his revelations on Football Leaks, is no ordinary whistleblower. Born in Portugal in 1988, he is a self-taught computer expert who launched the Football Leaks website in 2015. The platform has exposed the shady financial dealings of top players and clubs, led to criminal tax prosecutions and even reopened a sexual assault investigation involving Cristiano Ronaldo.
Pinto’s path has been fraught with challenges. He has faced legal troubles, including a four-year suspended sentence for attempted extortion, unlawful access to data and breach of correspondence. Despite these setbacks, he has remained committed to exposing corruption in football. His lawyer insisted that the verdict acknowledged “a public service” in his leak.
Portuguese activist
Rui Pinto |
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 Rui Pinto: History ‧ Biography ‧ Photos |
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| Wiki Events & About Data | |
| Real name: | Rui Pedro Gonçalves Pinto |
| Stage Name: | Rui Pinto |
| Born: | October 20, 1988 (age 35) |
| Place of birth: | Villa Nova de Gaia, Portugal |
| Nationality: | Portuguese |
| Education: | University of Porto |
| Height: | 1.75 minutes |
| Parents: | Francisco Goncalves |
| Siblings: | Do not have |
| Couple: | Not married |
| Girlfriend • Partner: | Do not have |
| Children: | Do not have |
| Job: | Activist • Whistleblower |
| Net asset value: | 3 million dollars (USD) |
Early life and education
Rui Pinto, born October 21, 1988 in Porto, Portugal, is a figure shrouded in mystery. Raised by his parents, Francisco Gonçalves, Rui’s upbringing remains largely a mystery, leaving much about his family life and any potential siblings unknown.
Ethnically, Rui is Portuguese, with strong roots in the beautiful city of Porto. He was raised Catholic, although it is unclear whether he continues to practice the faith or has chosen a different spiritual path.
Academically, Rui Pinto has an impressive background. He earned his Master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto (FEUP) and, in 2022, completed his PhD in Computer Engineering at the same institute.
Career
Rui Pinto, a Portuguese hacker and whistleblower, became infamous for his role in the Football Leaks scandal. In September 2015, Pinto launched the Football Leaks website to expose the financial underbelly of professional football, highlighting issues such as tax evasion and controversial ownership models.
Pinto’s methods of data collection have been controversial, with allegations of unauthorized access to private servers. However, his revelations have shed light on the darker side of the football industry, sparking important discussions about transparency and accountability.
In a dramatic turn of events, Rui Pinto was arrested in Hungary in 2019 and extradited to Portugal, where he faced 90 charges, including computer fraud, attempted extortion and breach of privacy. In September 2023, a Lisbon court handed him a four-year suspended sentence.
Pinto’s leaking has not stopped at football. In January 2020, he was revealed as the source behind the Luanda Leaks, which exposed corruption and financial crime in Angola. His work has also included significant contributions to the Malta Papers, which detailed financial misconduct in other sectors. Pinto’s work has always promoted transparency and accountability, even if his methods have been controversial.
On 23 June 2024, Rui Pinto made headlines again when he threatened to release confidential emails and documents that allegedly revealed Manchester City’s deliberate breach of Financial Fair Play rules. The move shocked the football community and highlighted the significant influence of hackers in today’s digital age.
Social Media
- Instagram Username: @oruipinto
- Twitter Username: Rui Pinto (@RuiPinto_FL)
Personal life
Portuguese activist and whistleblower Rui Pinto has lived a life that has involved more document leaks than revealing his love life. To the internet, the man is as single as a lone wolf howling at the moon.
There are no rumors of an affair, no paparazzi photos of him holding hands with his girlfriend, and certainly no baby pictures circulating on social media.
But who needs a partner when you have the entire football industry shaking in their boots? Rui Pinto’s relationship status may be “single”, but what about his relationship with the truth? Let’s just say it’s complicated.
Net asset value
Rui Pinto is a prominent Portuguese activist and whistleblower who became infamous for his involvement in the Football Leaks scandal. He has amassed an estimated net worth of $3 million.
