Football Leaks creator Rui Pinto was acquitted this Wednesday, April 29, of the 241 crimes he was accused of, with the judge criticising the fact that he had been subjected to two consecutive trials for the same facts. The Public Prosecutor's indictment was deemed “invalid” by the panel of judges and, as such, “unfounded”, in a case where the defendant was allegedly treated “in three different ways” without his “dignity as a human being” being respected. Speaking to DN, Francisco Teixeira da Mota, Rui Pinto's lawyer, considers this an acquittal “that honours the Portuguese justice system”, pointing to the Public Prosecutor's Office. “It is also,” he adds, “a decision that proved us right in the complaint we made, over time, regarding the Public Prosecutor's perverse strategy of seeking to perpetuate the judicial persecution of Rui Pinto”. In January, at the opening of this case, Rui Pinto's lawyers expressed “repudiation for the Public Prosecutor's attitude”, arguing that he had already been tried and convicted for the same crimes. In this second case, Rui Pinto faced 201 counts of qualified illegitimate access, 23 counts of aggravated violation of correspondence, and 18 counts of computer damage. In addition to Benfica, other figures and institutions targeted included other clubs, the League, companies, law firms, judges, prosecutors, the Tax Authority, and the National Internal Security Network. Rui Pinto was convicted in the 'Football Leaks' case in September 2023 by the Lisbon Central Criminal Court to a four-year suspended prison sentence for attempted extortion, aggravated violation of correspondence, and illegitimate access. (Updating) Court maintains four-year suspended sentence for Rui Pinto, but waives payment of compensation.