The office of Carlos Cabreiro, director of Portugal’s Polícia Judiciária (PJ), was searched on Wednesday as part of a judicial inquiry into alleged illegal wiretaps related to the Football Leaks case. The searches, which also targeted PJ facilities in Loures, are examining whether Cabreiro lied under oath about the use of unauthorized audio recordings during the investigation into hacker Rui Pinto, according to a statement from the Ministry Publico (MP).
Targeted Searches at Police Headquarters
Diligences at the PJ’s Unidade de Prevenção e Apoio Técnico (UPAT) in Loures concluded around 1:00 PM local time, with further searches conducted at Cabreiro’s office in the afternoon, RTP reported. The MP confirmed the searches are part of an investigation into potential crimes of abuse of power and aggravated false testimony.
“The search and seizure measures underway count on the presence of various magistrates from the Public Ministry, inspectors from the Tax Authority, and IT experts who are assisting the operation,” the MP’s communiqué stated. “They aim to collect evidence tending to confirm or disprove the facts contained in the complaint that gave rise to the inquiry.”
The PJ said it collaborated fully with the judicial authorities, providing “all necessary support for the normal development of the procedures.” The process, which has no formal defendants, remains under seal. The MP also clarified that Cabreiro’s mobile phone was not seized during the operation.
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Core of the Allegation: The 2015 Recording
The investigation stems from a complaint filed by David Freitas, a PJ coordinator, who alleges that Cabreiro gave the order for an illegal ambient recording during the Football Leaks investigation. The recording in question captured a 2015 meeting at a service area on the A5 motorway (Lisbon-Cascais) between Aníbal Pinto and other parties in the case, a conversation the MP had previously denied authorizing.
The crux of the accusation is that Cabreiro and other officers, including Cabreiro himself, told the court they “overheard” the conversation. Freitas’s complaint contends they were actually using an unauthorized recording whose existence they had always denied. The MP confirmed that prosecutors are searching for records proving the illegal wiretap of Aníbal Pinto.
Carlos Cabreiro garante que tem condições para continuar no cargo. O Diretor Nacional da Polícia Judiciária está a ser investigado por falso testemunho e abuso de poder, no âmbito do processo Football Leaks. E diz que tem a confiança da tutela.https://t.co/E6aYCRhVsf
A Family Affair and Internal Discord
David Freitas’s wife, Inspector Aida Freitas, was the only officer to deny hearing the 2015 conversation during Rui Pinto’s trial. She claimed she signed the external investigation report “without reading it,” a statement her colleagues, including Cabreiro, contradicted.
The fallout from Aida Freitas’s testimony led to a disciplinary proceeding and a criminal complaint against her, both of which are still pending. David Freitas alleges he found documents at the UPAT proving his colleagues, including the current PJ director, lied in court and prejudiced his wife. As a result of these new allegations, the sentencing in Aida Freitas’s trial, which was scheduled for last week, has been suspended for further investigation by the MP.
Cabreiro’s Defense and Role in the Case
Carlos Cabreiro, who has been the national director of the PJ since April 2026, was the head of the PJ’s National Unit for Combating Cybercrime and Technological Crime at the time of the 2023 trial. During the trial, he testified that no ambient surveillance was conducted in the investigation.
When the inquiry was made public on September 14, Cabreiro denied any wrongdoing. In comments to the Jornal de Notícias, he maintained “all the statements made in court” and insisted he had not committed any illegal acts. His office was a target of the searches as prosecutors sought to examine his computer for evidence, RTP noted.
Background: The Football Leaks Verdict
The Football Leaks case concluded in 2023 with Rui Pinto, the founder of the leaks platform, and his former lawyer, Aníbal Pinto, receiving suspended sentences. The investigation centered on unauthorized access and violation of correspondence involving major entities in Portuguese football and finance, including Sporting, investment fund Doyen, law firm PLMJ, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), and the PGR.
The 2015 meeting recording was a key piece of evidence that led investigators to identify Rui Pinto. The legality of that recording is now central to the current inquiry into the conduct of the police force itself.
What’s Next in the Inquiry
The investigation, which is being handled by the DIAP Regional of Lisbon, remains confidential with no formal defendants named. The focus is on gathering forensic and documentary evidence to either substantiate or refute the claims made in Freitas’s complaint.
