In statements made as a defense witness for Rui Pinto at the 41st session of the ‘Football Leaks’ trial at the Lisbon Central Criminal Court, the former presidential candidate stressed that she did not know “nothing” about football, but highlighted the “perverse implications” in the administration of the country’s resources “on the part of this ‘industry’ and attacked the hearing of the leader of the ‘red’ club, on Monday, in the Assembly of the Republic.
“When you see Luís Filipe Vieira, president of Benfica, on a commission of inquiry in the Assembly of the Republic, trying to justify doing business with Ricardo Salgado, as a surrogate,” Ana Gomes began by saying, promptly interrupted by the president of the panel of judges , Margarida Alves, who appealed not to report to other cases during the hearing and not to be particular about other people.
However, the former candidate for the Presidency of the Republic continued: “But I particularize, I am only saying what I saw on television. It is obvious that there is a connection, and that happens with the biggest Portuguese club, but it also happens with the other bigger and smaller clubs. That explains why small clubs in Portugal are bought by tycoons. They are money laundering schemes. “
Luís Filipe Vieira was heard two days ago as President of Promovalor, while one of the biggest debtors of Novo Banco, on the parliamentary commission of inquiry, in which he defended having been called to make statements for being also president of Benfica, something that the deputies refuted.
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, the 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 his collaboration” with the Judicial Police (PJ) and his “critical sense”, but is, for security reasons, inserted in the protection program of witnesses in an undisclosed location and under police protection.
