Rui Bento: The hacker who shook Manchester City's throne

Portuguese hacker Rui Pinto, founder of the "Football Leaks" website, commented on the independent committee's decision to find Manchester City guilty of breaching 114 out of 115 rules in the case concerning financial violations and Premier League regulations.

Documents leaked by Bento have played a role in triggering investigations into the financial affairs of the club, as they included millions of documents and data related to several football clubs, among them Manchester City.

Bento stated in comments reported by The Guardian: "It is a historic decision for English football, and it comes as a culmination of the work I have done."

He added that the results of the case, as he described it, reveal "structural manipulation and financial maneuvers", considering that what he described as organized manipulation is now facing the possibility of penalties.

The case dates back to a series of investigations that began after documents were published via Football Leaks, before the Premier League opened its own investigation into Manchester City in 2019, subsequently issuing the club more than 100 formal charges in February 2023.

In contrast, Manchester City continues to deny any wrongdoing, and the club has confirmed that it is steadfast in its previous position and is expected to appeal against the decision. The club's chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, emphasized Manchester City's ongoing confidence in proving its innocence.

Bento's statements come after years of controversy surrounding Football Leaks and his role in revealing confidential documents related to the world of football. While his supporters argue that he has disclosed information of public importance, he himself has faced legal issues connected to how he obtained the documents, and he is currently living under police protection in Portugal.