MAN CITY FACE THREAT FROM HACKER OVER FFP BREACH

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Premier League champions Manchester City face the release of hundreds of damning club emails and documents — by hacker, Rui Pinto, who is behind the Football Leaks scandal.

According to the Sun, 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.

The 35-year-old gained access to thousands of City’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.

City 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 form 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.

“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.