Roger Piñate, the co-founder of Smartmatic, and fellow company executive and former chairman of the Philippines’ Commission on Elections, Andres Bautista, were reportedly indicted by a federal grand jury in Florida for alleged involvement in a multi-million-dollar bribery and money laundering scheme that was designed to influence the 2016 Philippine elections.
The accusations against four defendants were unsealed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida on Friday.
The indictment claims that Piñate and Jorge Miguel Vasquez implemented a conspiracy to provide Bautista with a minimum of $1 million in bribes between 2015 and 2018.
The payments were purportedly made to facilitate the release of value-added tax payments and to secure business contracts related to the supply of voting machines for the 2016 elections.
Prosecutors assert that the gratuities were funded by a slush fund that was established by inflating the cost of each voting machine.
The scheme was purportedly further concealed through the use of coded language, fraudulent contracts, and sham loan agreements.
The indictment alleges that the illicit funds were subsequently laundered through bank accounts in the United States, Europe, and Asia, including Florida.
Piñate, Vasquez, Bautista, and an additional individual, Elie Moreno, are currently being charged with conspiracy and money laundering. Upon conviction, the defendants may be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison for each count.
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