The lawyers of Rui Pinto and Aníbal Pinto, accused of ‘Football Leaks’, questioned this Tuesday the former administrator of Doyen Nélio Lucas about his legitimacy as a representative of the investment fund, arguing that there is no proof of this condition in 2015.
Towards the end of the 26th session of the trial, at the Central Criminal Court of Lisbon, Aníbal Pinto’s lawyer, João Pereira dos Santos, filed a request – also signed by Rui Pinto’s defense – for Nélio Lucas to prove that it was indeed administrator at the date of the facts of the case with respect to the alleged extortion attempt, requesting the presentation of “Certificates certifying corporate positions”.
However, the panel of judges decided not to proceed at this point with the joining of the document and, at the insistence of the representative of Aníbal Pinto – who stressed that the evidence of an effective link between the businessman and the investment fund reported only in 2011 and 2012 – left a note on the timing of raising this issue.
It is very strange that in this procedural phase, after dozens of sessions and witnesses, only now the defense of Aníbal Pinto says that [essa informação] is essential for the test ”, said the president of the collective, Margarida Alves.
In fact, throughout the day, Rui Pinto’s representatives – who proved to be quite active and gave constant advice to lawyers – had also analyzed Doyen’s organization, the holders of investments made, the banking institutions with which the investment fund he worked and borrowed money while operating parallel to the core of his transfer intermediation activity.
And it was this point that also generated some controversy in the session, with Nélio Lucas confirming a loan to FC Porto, raising doubts about the person in charge of the operation, since the Porto club disclosed in its accounts that the loan had originated at the Bank Carry.
I do not remember”, said the businessman, in an answer that would repeat itself to several questions from defense lawyers during the session.
The former administrator of the investment fund also confirmed a loan to ex-Sevilla president José Maria Del Nido, a Spanish leader who would, however, be found guilty of corruption.
We made the loan, it was precisely to pay a deposit. We asked the Spanish authorities if there was a problem with that and they told us it was our choice ”, he clarified.
The past of Nélio Lucas was again spoken of in the context of his criminal record, after having argued that Football Leaks did a lot “noise” and that was not “condemned” for nothing related to the platform disclosures.
As a consequence of this statement, Rui Pinto’s defense questioned a possible previous conviction related to checks without provision, but Nélio Lucas was curt: “I have nothing to say”.
The trial continues on Wednesday, with the hearing of lawyer Pedro Henriques, former collaborator of Nélio Lucas at Doyen, who is going to give statements as a witness.
Rui Pinto, 32, is responsible for a total of 90 crimes: 68 of undue access, 14 of violation of correspondence, six of illegitimate access, targeting entities such as Sporting, Doyen, PLMJ law firm, the Portuguese Federation of Football (FPF) and the Attorney General’s Office (PGR), and also for computer sabotage to Sporting’s SAD and for extortion, in the attempted form. This last crime concerns Doyen and was also what led to the pronunciation of the lawyer Aníbal Pinto.
The creator of Football Leaks has been free since August 7, “Due to your collaboration” with the Judiciary Police (PJ) and its “critical sense”, but it is, for security reasons, inserted in the witness protection program in an undisclosed location and under police protection.
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