Smartmatic Charged Over Philippines Bribery Scheme | JQJO

Federal prosecutors charged Smartmatic with money laundering and other crimes linked to more than $1 million in bribes to Philippine election officials. A superseding indictment filed Thursday in Florida says payments from 2015 to 2018 helped win work on the Philippines’ 2016 presidential vote and speed payment. Three former executives, including co-founder Roger Pinate, were previously charged; Pinate has pleaded not guilty. Smartmatic denied the allegations as political. The case runs alongside its $2.7 billion defamation suit against Fox News. Prosecutors seek to introduce evidence on Los Angeles County funds and a Venezuela bribe; a hearing is next month.