Football Leaks verdict to be delivered today in Lisbon | OneFootball

The reading of the verdict in the Football Leaks case, in which Rui Pinto is the defendant, is scheduled for this Wednesday at the Central Criminal Court of Lisbon. The decision will be made public from 2:00 p.m., in a procedure that covers hundreds of crimes and several national and international entities.

Rui Pinto is accused of a total of 241 crimes, including 201 counts of qualified unlawful access, 22 counts of aggravated violation of correspondence, and 18 counts of computer-related damage. Among those targeted are, in addition to Benfica, other football clubs, the League, private companies, law firms, judicial magistrates and Public Prosecutors, as well as the Tax Authority and the National Internal Security Network.

The trial marks the culmination of a long procedural journey. In March of last year, the Central Criminal Investigation Court indicted the defendant for trial and applied the amnesty law approved in 2023 in the context of World Youth Day, removing from the case 134 crimes of violation of correspondence for allegedly having been committed before the defendant turned 30 years old.

This case adds to convictions that have already become final. In September 2023, Rui Pinto was sentenced by the Central Criminal Court of Lisbon to four years in prison with a suspended sentence for attempted extortion, aggravated violation of correspondence, and unlawful access. In November 2023, he was also sentenced in France to six months in prison with a suspended sentence for illegal access to electronic messages from Paris Saint-Germain.

The reading of the verdict is being followed with great anticipation, given the media and judicial impact of the Football Leaks case, which revealed internal practices of clubs, agents, and professional football institutions. The decision of the panel of judges could be decisive in the debate on computer crimes, data protection, and the legal status of those who disclose information obtained by illicit means.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.