Here’s a bombshell that’s rocking the world of election technology: Smartmatic, a major player in global voting systems, is facing federal charges of bribery and money laundering in the Philippines. But here’s where it gets even more tangled—this isn’t just about one scandal; it’s a web of allegations spanning continents, from Southeast Asia to the U.S. and even Venezuela. Let’s break it down.
Federal prosecutors in Miami have accused Smartmatic of funneling over $1 million in bribes to Philippine election officials between 2015 and 2018. The goal? To secure a contract for managing the country’s 2016 presidential election and ensure timely payments. This isn’t the first time Smartmatic’s executives have been in the hot seat—three former leaders, including co-founder Roger Pinate, were charged earlier in 2024, though the company itself wasn’t named initially. Pinate, who remains a shareholder but no longer works for Smartmatic, has pleaded not guilty.
But here’s where it gets controversial: While Smartmatic is battling these criminal charges, it’s also waging a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News. The company claims Fox aired false allegations that Smartmatic helped rig the 2020 U.S. presidential election in favor of Joe Biden. Smartmatic denies both sets of accusations, calling the bribery charges “targeted, political, and unjust” and accusing the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami of being misled by unnamed powerful interests. The company vows not to be intimidated, but the stakes are sky-high.
Prosecutors have added another layer to the drama, alleging that Smartmatic diverted funds from a $300 million contract with Los Angeles County into a “slush fund” controlled by Pinate. They also claim Pinate bribed Venezuela’s longtime election chief with a luxury home in Caracas—a move prosecutors say was an attempt to smooth over relations after Smartmatic abruptly left Venezuela in 2017, accusing President Nicolas Maduro’s government of manipulating election results. A hearing on this evidence is set for next month, though these details aren’t included in the latest indictment.
Smartmatic’s origins add another twist to the story. Founded over two decades ago by Venezuelans during Hugo Chavez’s reign—a leader who championed electronic voting—the company expanded globally, providing technology for elections in 25 countries. But Smartmatic claims its reputation was shattered after Fox News gave Donald Trump’s lawyers a platform to accuse the company of election fraud in 2020. While Fox eventually aired a retraction, it’s fiercely fighting the defamation lawsuit, arguing Smartmatic’s troubles stem from its own internal issues, not media coverage.
And this is the part most people miss: How much of this is a legitimate crackdown on corporate corruption, and how much is politically motivated? Is Smartmatic a victim of powerful forces, or does the evidence point to systemic wrongdoing? The answers could reshape how we view election technology and media accountability. What do you think? Let us know in the comments—this story is far from over.
