Hacker who ‘exposed Man City’ makes shocking claim about FIFA president Infantino

Manchester City’s financial scandal has taken another dramatic turn after Rui Pinto, the hacker whose Football Leaks revelations exposed the club’s financial dealings, made a serious allegation about FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Pinto claims Infantino knew about irregularities involving City while serving as UEFA general secretary and used his position to help the club avoid a deeper investigation.

Pinto, whose hacking activities brought a huge amount of previously private football information into the public domain, has now turned his attention to Infantino following the Premier League’s findings against Manchester City.

The independent commission found City guilty of all 115 financial breach charges brought against them, with the Premier League accusing the club of systematically breaking its rules over almost a decade. Pinto claims Infantino was already aware of City’s alleged financial irregularities in 2014, when he was UEFA general secretary.

“Back in 2014, there was a man who was already aware of the irregularities involving Manchester City. That man now runs FIFA,” Pinto wrote on X.

He further alleged that Infantino “abused his authority” and shared confidential documents while attempting to ensure City and Paris Saint-Germain received fines rather than facing deeper investigations that could have resulted in Champions League bans.

Pinto also claimed that the details had previously emerged through Football Leaks before launching a fierce attack on Infantino’s record in football administration. The allegations have not been established as facts by the Premier League findings, and Infantino has not been shown by those findings to have committed wrongdoing.

Pinto’s comments arrive at an awkward time for Infantino, who is already facing growing scrutiny over his leadership of FIFA.

UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC have jointly criticised FIFA over plans involving the commercial rights of the World Cup, with an open letter accusing the governing body of “deception” and questioning the way the administration has handled the controversial proposal.

Infantino has also faced criticism over several contentious episodes this summer, including the decision surrounding Folarin Balogun’s red card and the broader debate over commercialisation of the World Cup.

For Manchester City, meanwhile, the immediate question remains what punishment could follow the independent commission’s findings. Potential sanctions include a heavy fine, points deduction, transfer ban, expulsion from the Premier League or the stripping of titles, although no final punishment has been announced.

City are also expected to consider their options following the findings, meaning the saga could continue for some time. Pinto has added another layer to the controversy by promising a further announcement, writing: “I will make a very important announcement tomorrow at 18:00 UTC.”

Whatever he reveals, his latest allegations have ensured that the Manchester City financial saga is now extending far beyond the Premier League champions themselves.