Smartmatic Executives Charged in $1 Million Philippine Bribery Case

Three top executives of voting technology company Smartmatic have been accused of paying $1 million in bribes to a former Philippine election official to secure business. While Smartmatic itself is not charged, the incident raises questions as the company pursues a defamation lawsuit against Fox News. Prosecutors allege the bribes were funneled through over-invoiced machine costs and disguised in financial records.

Federal prosecutors in Florida have charged three executives of voting technology company Smartmatic with funneling $1 million in bribes to a former Philippine election official. The indicted employees, including President Roger Alejandro Pinate Martinez, face accusations of foreign bribery and money laundering, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Smartmatic itself has not been charged and said in a statement that no voter fraud is alleged. The company has placed the indicted employees on leave. Lawyers for the defendants have not yet been identified.

The indictment arises as Smartmatic is suing Fox News for $2.7 billion over claims that its machines rigged the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Federal prosecutors assert that the bribes were disguised via a slush fund created through over-invoicing during the 2016 Philippine elections. Fox News may leverage evidence from the criminal case for its defense in the defamation lawsuit.