The U.S. Department of Justice presented a federal indictment against the electoral technology company Smartmatic and its parent company, SGO Corporation Ltd., for alleged conspiracy to bribe foreign officials and money laundering in a scheme purportedly occurring between 2015 and 2018, aimed at securing a multimillion-dollar contract in the Philippines.
The case, filed in the Federal Court for the Southern District of Florida (Miami), expands on a criminal matter initiated in 2024 against three former executives of the company, now directly including Smartmatic and its parent company, SGO Corporation Ltd., as defendants. The indictment outlines an alleged scheme of illicit payments aimed at officials from the Commission on Elections in the Philippines (COMELEC), including its former chairman, Juan Andres Donato Bautista, to secure a contract valued at nearly 200 million dollars for providing voting machines and services during the 2016 presidential elections.
According to the Justice Department, Smartmatic executives funneled more than a million dollars in bribes, using a “slush fund” financed by overcharging for voting machines. The payments were allegedly disguised in the company’s financial records through coded language and covert transfers.
Among the accused are:
Roger Alejandro Piñate Martínez (49 years old), co-founder and former president of Smartmatic, residing in Boca Raton, Florida. Piñate pleaded not guilty and has requested the dismissing of charges.
Jorge Miguel Vázquez (62 years old), U.S. citizen and resident of Davie, Florida.
Others involved have not yet been publicly identified by the authorities.
Roger Alejandro Piñate Martínez (49 years old), co-founder and former president of Smartmatic
The formal indictment charges include money laundering, conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and conspiracy to commit electronic fraud. If found guilty, individuals could face up to 20 years in prison, while companies might incur multimillion-dollar fines and restrictions on participating in international public bidding.
The Justice Department emphasized that criminal prosecutions against corporations are uncommon, as companies usually prefer to negotiate settlements to avoid trials that can jeopardize their ability to continue operating in the market.
Smartmatic responded with a statement asserting that the accusations are “baseless and politically motivated”, and claimed to have fully cooperated with U.S. authorities during the investigation.
The indictment in Miami represents a severe blow to their global credibility, especially as discussions about the integrity of electronic voting systems gain momentum ahead of the 2026 electoral cycle.