Smartmatic Executives Face Bribery, Money Laundering Charges Amid Global Scrutiny
Three former Smartmatic executives, including co-founder Roger Pinate, face charges of bribery and money laundering related to securing a 2016 Philippine election contract, while the company denies allegations and pursues defamation lawsuits.
Boston HeraldUS prosecutors charge Smartmatic in alleged $1M Philippines bribery case
DeadlineSmartmatic Added To DOJ Bribery Indictment; Company Calls It “Targeted, Political And Unjust”
Washington ExaminerSmartmatic charged in alleged plan to bribe officials in Philippines
ABC NewsUS prosecutors say Smartmatic executives bribed officials for $1M contract in the Philippines
Overview
Three former Smartmatic executives, including co-founder Roger Pinate, were charged in 2024 by a Miami federal court with money laundering and bribing Philippine election officials between 2015 and 2018.
The charges stem from alleged payments made to secure a contract with the Philippine government for the 2016 presidential election, though Smartmatic itself was not named as a defendant.
Pinate is also accused of bribing Venezuela's election chief with a luxury home to mend ties after Smartmatic accused Maduro's government of election result manipulation in 2017.
Smartmatic denies the allegations, claiming the U.S. Attorney's Office was misled and politically influenced, while Pinate has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Separately, Smartmatic is suing Fox News for $2.7 billion for defamation over false claims of rigging the 2020 U.S. election, following settlements with Newsmax and OANN.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover this story neutrally, presenting the Department of Justice's indictment of Smartmatic executives for alleged bribery alongside the company's vehement denial. They clearly attribute Smartmatic's claims of political targeting as direct quotes, avoiding loaded language in their own narrative. The coverage also provides relevant context on Smartmatic's other legal battles and FCPA enforcement.