Smartmatic Executives Charged in Philippines Bribery Scheme
Smartmatic executives face charges for allegedly bribing Philippine election officials over $1 million to secure a 2016 presidential election contract, including money laundering.
Smartmatic charged in alleged plan to bribe officials in Philippines
Washington Examiner
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Overview
- Three former Smartmatic executives, including co-founder Roger Pinate, were charged in 2024 with money laundering and bribery in the Philippines.
- The charges allege that Smartmatic executives conspired to bribe foreign officials to secure an election contract.
- Over $1 million in alleged bribes were paid to election officials in the Philippines to influence the 2016 presidential election.
- The alleged scheme aimed to secure a $1 million contract for Smartmatic related to the 2016 Philippine presidential election.
- These bribery charges emerge while Smartmatic is simultaneously pursuing a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover the Smartmatic bribery charges neutrally, focusing on factual reporting of legal developments. They present the accusations from federal prosecutors alongside Smartmatic's denial and its claim of political influence. The coverage also provides balanced context regarding the company's defamation lawsuit against Fox News, including both Smartmatic's and Fox's perspectives on the matter.
"Federal prosecutors have charged voting technology firm Smartmatic with money laundering and other crimes arising from more than $1 million in bribes that several executives allegedly paid to election officials in the Philippines."
ABC News"The payments, between 2015 and 2018, were made to obtain a contract with the Philippines government to help run that country’s 2016 presidential election and secure the timely payment for its work, according to a superseding indictment filed Thursday in a Florida federal court."
Associated PressArticles (4)
FAQ
Three former Smartmatic executives, including co-founder Roger Pinate, were charged in 2024 with money laundering and bribery related to the 2016 Philippine presidential election contract.
The alleged bribes, totaling over $1 million, were paid to influence the 2016 presidential election and to secure a $1 million contract for Smartmatic related to that election.
Charges of money laundering and bribery were filed against Smartmatic executives in 2024, while earlier criminal proceedings targeted COMELEC personnel and Smartmatic employees for vote tampering related to the 2016 elections.
Smartmatic is simultaneously pursuing a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News amid the bribery charges.
Yes, in 2016, allegations included vote tampering and system interference involving Smartmatic employees and election officials, leading to criminal indictments under the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
History
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