Voting Firm Smartmatic: Trump’s ‘Campaign of Retribution’ Drives Criminal Prosecution/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Voting technology company Smartmatic is asking a federal court to dismiss a criminal indictment tied to bribery allegations in the Philippines. The firm claims the prosecution is part of a political retaliation campaign linked to President Donald Trump. Federal prosecutors say executives were involved in bribery and money laundering connected to election contracts.
Smartmatic Criminal Case and Trump Dispute Quick Looks
- Smartmatic filed a motion seeking dismissal of a federal indictment.
- The company argues the prosecution is politically motivated.
- Attorneys claim the case is tied to Donald Trump’s claims about the 2020 election.
- Smartmatic executives were previously charged over alleged bribery in the Philippines.
- Prosecutors say $1 million in payments were used to influence election officials.
- Smartmatic says it cooperated with investigators for years.
- The company claims the case revived after Trump returned to power.
- Prosecutors allege funds from a Los Angeles voting contract were misused.
- Smartmatic has filed a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against media allies of Trump.
- A trial for executives, including co-founder Roger Piñate, is pending.
Deep Look
Smartmatic Seeks Dismissal of Federal Criminal Case
Voting technology company Smartmatic is asking a federal judge to dismiss a criminal indictment accusing the firm and several executives of bribery and money laundering, arguing the prosecution is politically motivated.
In a court filing submitted Tuesday in Miami federal court, attorneys for Smartmatic and its parent company, SGO Corporation, said the case is part of what they describe as a broader “campaign of retribution” tied to President Donald Trump’s claims about the 2020 presidential election.
The company argues that federal prosecutors revived the case only after Trump returned to the White House and began calling for legal action against individuals and organizations he believes were involved in the election he lost to Joe Biden.
According to Smartmatic’s legal filing, pursuing the case reinforces what it describes as a “false narrative” that the 2020 election was improperly decided.
Allegations of Bribery in the Philippines
The criminal case against Smartmatic centers on allegations that company executives paid bribes to officials in the Philippines to secure a contract to assist with that country’s 2016 presidential election.
Prosecutors say payments totaling approximately $1 million were made between 2015 and 2018 to influence election officials and secure business for the company.
Several executives were charged in connection with the alleged scheme, including Smartmatic co-founder Roger Piñate. Piñate, who is no longer employed by the company but remains a shareholder, has pleaded not guilty.
Last year, prosecutors expanded the case by adding Smartmatic’s parent company, SGO Corporation, to the indictment.
Company Claims Cooperation With Investigators
Smartmatic argues that the criminal charges were unexpected because the company had spent years cooperating with investigators.
According to the motion to dismiss, the company began working with the U.S. Justice Department shortly after learning about the investigation in 2021.
Smartmatic says it provided millions of pages of documents and detailed briefings to federal investigators as part of that cooperation.
By the time prosecutors scheduled a trial for several executives, the company believed it would not face criminal charges itself.
However, Smartmatic’s lawyers say that situation changed after Trump returned to office and renewed criticism of the company.
Link to 2020 Election Claims
Smartmatic has been a central figure in conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election.
Trump and some of his allies claimed that electronic voting systems helped manipulate the election outcome, allegations that election officials and courts have repeatedly rejected.
Smartmatic says those accusations severely damaged its business.
The company has filed a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against several media outlets and commentators who repeated the allegations.
In its latest legal filing, Smartmatic argues the criminal case supports those same claims by suggesting the company engaged in misconduct related to elections.
Prosecutors Outline Additional Allegations
Federal prosecutors have outlined additional allegations tied to the case.
In court filings last year, they argued that revenue from a $300 million contract with Los Angeles County to modernize its voting systems was diverted into a secret fund allegedly controlled by Piñate.
Prosecutors claim the fund used overseas shell companies, false invoices and other mechanisms to move money.
Authorities have also accused Piñate of bribing Venezuela’s longtime election chief by providing a luxury home in Caracas.
Prosecutors say the property transfer was intended to repair relations after Smartmatic left Venezuela in 2017 following disputes with the government of President Nicolás Maduro.
Smartmatic’s Global Election Business
Smartmatic was founded more than two decades ago by a group of Venezuelan entrepreneurs.
The company initially gained prominence by providing electronic voting systems during the presidency of Hugo Chávez, who strongly supported electronic voting technology.
Over time, Smartmatic expanded globally and has provided election technology and services in more than 25 countries.
Those projects have ranged from managing vote tabulation systems to providing voting machines and election infrastructure.
Legal Battles Continue
Smartmatic’s legal challenges are unfolding on multiple fronts.
The criminal case in federal court remains active while the company continues pursuing civil defamation lawsuits tied to allegations about the 2020 election.
Fox News, one of the networks named in the lawsuit, has defended its coverage by arguing it reported on newsworthy political developments.
The network later aired a segment challenging some of the claims after receiving legal complaints from Smartmatic.
Fox has also argued that the company’s business difficulties were caused by internal issues rather than media coverage.
Court to Decide Next Steps
The federal judge overseeing the case will now consider Smartmatic’s motion to dismiss the indictment.
If the request is denied, the criminal trial involving company executives will proceed.
The outcome could have significant consequences both for Smartmatic’s legal battles and for the broader political dispute surrounding election technology and the 2020 presidential election.
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