(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Federal prosecutors have slapped Roger Alejandro Pinate Martinez, founder and president of Smartmatic, with bribery and money laundering related to the 2016 presidential election in the Philippines.
Two other executives, Jorge Miguel Vasquez and Juan Andres Donato Bautista, also face charges in connection with what prosecutors claimed was a scheme to “retain and obtain business” related to the election.
Smartmatic is a voting machines company that came under fire during the 2020 U.S. presidential election. The company is now suing Fox News and Newsmax for defamation, alleging their reporting on the company harmed their business. It wants $2.7 billion in damages.
Smartmatic spokesperson Samira Saba did not immediately respond to Headline USA’s request for comment.
Prosecutors allege that Martinez and Vasquez caused the payment of at least $1 million to Bautista in exchange for business guarantees involving voting machines and other services.
“The co-conspirators allegedly funded the bribes through a slush fund that was created by over-invoicing the cost per voting machine for the 2016 Philippine elections,” the DOJ stated in a press statement.
To conceal and justify these payments, the defendants allegedly used coded language, fraudulent contracts and a sham loan agreement.
“The co-conspirators then allegedly laundered funds related to the bribery scheme through bank accounts located in Asia, Europe, and the United States, including in the Southern District of Florida,” the DOJ added.
Four Men Charged in Philippine Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme
🔗: https://t.co/kEDlpAV26q pic.twitter.com/3OKw5qZBEn
— Criminal Division (@DOJCrimDiv) August 8, 2024
Pinate and Vasquez each face one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and an additional violation of the act. Each count carries up to five years in prison.
Bautista, Pinate, Vasquez and a third individual — Elie Moreno — are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and three counts of international laundering of monetary instruments. These violations carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
