{"id":2322027,"date":"2024-08-09T15:21:09","date_gmt":"2024-08-09T19:21:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/smartmatic-head-charged-with-bribing-philippine-election-officials-for-contracts-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-09T15:25:03","modified_gmt":"2024-08-09T19:25:03","slug":"smartmatic-head-charged-with-bribing-philippine-election-officials-for-contracts-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/smartmatic-head-charged-with-bribing-philippine-election-officials-for-contracts-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Smartmatic head charged with bribing Philippine election officials for contracts &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsmartmatic-head-charged-with-bribing-philippine-election-officials-for-contracts-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2322027&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Roger Alejandro Pinate Martinez, the founder of the voting machine company Smartmatic, was\u200d indicted by a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hunter-bidens-best-friend-testified-before-grand-jury-about-the-biden-family-lawyer-says\/\" title=\"Hunter Biden&#039;s close associate testified before a grand jury regarding the Biden family, according to their lawyer.\">federal \u200bgrand jury<\/a> in Florida for allegedly conspiring to bribe Philippine election officials with $1 million to win a contract for the 2016 elections. The indictment highlights accusations of bribery and misconduct aimed at securing \u2062contracts\u200c for \u200d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-exclusive-analysis-of-election-night-data-from-all-states-shows-millions-of-votes-either-switched-from-president-trump-to-biden-or-were-lost-using-dominion-and-other-systems\/\" title=\"BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Analysis of Election Night Data from All States Shows MILLIONS OF VOTES Either Switched from President Trump to Biden or Were Lost -- Using Dominion and Other Systems\">voting machines<\/a> and related services in\u2064 the \u200dPhilippines. The U.S. Attorney&#8217;s Office for the Southern District of Florida \u2064confirmed the indictment, although the details are not publicly\u2063 available. Alongside\u2062 Martinez, two other\u200b company executives are also facing charges, including \u200da U.S. citizen\u2064 and \u200ca former chairman of the Philippine election commission. Separately, Smartmatic is pursuing \u200ca\u2062 $2.7\u2064 billion defamation lawsuit\u2062 against Fox News, following claims \u200dthat \u2062it manipulated the 2020 U.S. presidential\u200c election results, which it\u2064 denies.\u2063 The Department of Justice&#8217;s\u200c announcement regarding this indictment does not\u2064 mention any connections to\u2063 Smartmatic or the events \u200cof the\u200d 2020 election.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Smartmatic head charged with bribing Philippine election officials for contracts<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1727200\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The founder of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/1402885\/fox-moves-to-dismiss-2-7b-smartmatic-lawsuit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Smartmatic<\/a> voting machine company was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday for allegedly conspiring to pay a $1 million bribe to win a contract for the 2016 election in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/philippines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Philippines<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Venezuelan national <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartmatic.com\/us\/team-member\/roger-pinate\/?__cf_chl_f_tk=RBAV6LpYFUtRvm.6T0gmEOH5StbQEuhAJxIJZQSHXWM-1723228359-0.0.1.1-3967\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Roger Alejandro Pinate Martinez<\/a> was indicted by a federal grand jury in Florida, where he resides. The indictment accuses him of conspiring to pay a $1 million bribe to secure a contract for the 2016 Philippine election, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-sdfl\/pr\/four-men-charged-philippine-bribery-and-money-laundering-scheme\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>according<\/a> to the U.S. Attorney&rsquo;s Office for the Southern District of Florida, which has yet to make the indictment publicly available.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Smartmatic representative demonstrates his company&rsquo;s system, which has scanners and touch screens with printout options, at a meeting of the Secure, Accessible, and Fair Elections Commission on Aug. 30, 2018, in Grovetown, Georgia. (Bob Andres\/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Separate from this indictment, Smartmatic claimed it was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/smartmatic-files-2-7b-lawsuit-against-fox-news-giuliani-and-powell-over-election-fraud-claims\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>defamed<\/a> when it was accused during an on-air broadcast on Fox News of collaborating with Dominion Voting Systems to manipulate the 2020 U.S. presidential election results against former President Donald Trump. In response, Smartmatic filed a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox, which is set to go to trial next year. Fox has denied any wrongdoing.<\/p>\n<p>The Justice Department&rsquo;s statement about the indictment does not mention Smartmatic or the 2020 election.<\/p>\n<p>According to U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe&rsquo;s office, the alleged bribes were paid to secure and maintain contracts related to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/founder-and-president-of-smartmatic-indicted-on-federal-charges-relating-to-voting-machine-scheme\/\" title=\"Founder and President of Smartmatic Indicted on Federal Charges Relating to Voting Machine Scheme\">providing voting machines<\/a> and election services for the 2016 Philippine elections and to facilitate the release of payments, including value-added tax refunds.<\/p>\n<p>Two other executives of the company, including a U.S. citizen and a former chairman of the Philippine election commission, have also been charged.<\/p>\n<p>Smartmatic released a statement to X announcing that &ldquo;two of our employees&rdquo; have been placed on a leave of absence while noting they &ldquo;remain innocent until proven guilty.&rdquo; The company did not name which employees were placed on leave.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;No voter fraud has been alleged and Smartmatic is not indicted,&rdquo; the election machine company&rsquo;s statement added. &ldquo;Voters worldwide must be assured that the elections they participate in are conducted with the utmost integrity and transparency. These are the values that Smartmatic lives by.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The company is considered one of the largest providers of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/update-corrupted-software-that-stole-6000-votes-from-trump-in-michigan-county-shut-down-for-two-hours-in-red-counties-in-georgia-on-election-day\/\" title=\"Update: Corrupted Software that Stole 6,000 Votes From Trump in Michigan County -- Shut Down for TWO HOURS in Red Counties in Georgia on Election Day\">voting systems<\/a> in the world and was thrust into the spotlight after the 2020 election amid Trump&rsquo;s claims about the integrity of the election.<\/p>\n<p>Fox agreed to pay Dominion Voting Systems $787 million <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/900742\/fox-reaches-787m-settlement-with-dominion-moments-before-opening-of-defamation-trial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>last spring<\/a> to settle a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-and-jean-carroll-agree-to-combine-defamation-lawsuits-into-single-trial\/\" title=\"Trump and Jean Carroll agree to combine defamation lawsuits into single trial\">separate defamation lawsuit<\/a> over claims made on air.<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/smartmatic\/status\/1821729389878636942\/photo\/1\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1727200\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1727200\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The founder of Smartmatic, a voting machine company, was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday for allegedly conspiring to bribe Philippine election officials with $1 million in order to secure a contract for the 2016 elections. Roger Alejandro Pinate Martinez, a Venezuelan national residing in Florida, faces charges related to this conspiracy according to the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Southern District of Florida, although the indictment has not yet been made public. The indictment claims that these bribes were intended to obtain and maintain contracts for providing voting machines and election services during the 2016 Philippine elections and to facilitate payment processes including tax refunds.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to Martinez, two other executives from Smartmatic have also been charged\u2014one being a U.S. citizen and another who previously served as chairman of the Philippine election commission. In response to these developments, Smartmatic announced via X that &#8220;two of our employees&#8221; are on leave but emphasized their innocence until proven guilty without specifying which employees are affected.<\/p>\n<p>Smartmatic also stated that no allegations of voter fraud have been made against them and clarified that they themselves are not indicted. They reiterated their commitment to ensuring integrity and transparency in elections worldwide. The company gained significant attention following claims about election integrity during the 2020 U.S. presidential election amid former President Donald Trump&#8217;s allegations; it is one of the largest providers of voting systems globally. Separately, Fox News settled a defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems last spring for $787 million over similar claims made on air regarding election manipulation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2322028,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AP24222568628166.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[20427,8773,34685,37702,5428],"class_list":["post-2322027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-bribery","tag-corruption","tag-election-officials","tag-philippine-elections","tag-smartmatic"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AP24222568628166.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2322027","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2322027"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2322027\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2322028"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2322027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2322027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2322027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}