Executive Summary
- SGO Corporation Limited (Smartmatic), three of its executives, and the former Chairman of the Philippine Commission on Elections (COMELEC) have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Miami.
- The superseding indictment charges the company and individuals with conspiracy to pay and launder over $1 million in bribes to a Philippine government official to secure business for the 2016 Philippine national elections.
- The charges include conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and conspiracy to commit money laundering, with some defendants facing up to 20 years in prison, while the former COMELEC Chairman and another executive remain fugitives.
Laws and Precedent
- The indictment against SGO Corporation Limited and its executives centers on alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), which prohibits U.S. companies and individuals from bribing foreign officials to obtain or retain business. Additionally, the charges include conspiracy to commit money laundering and international laundering of monetary instruments, which address the concealment and illicit transfer of funds derived from criminal activity.
A federal grand jury in Miami has indicted SGO Corporation Limited, a multinational voting machine and election services provider also known as Smartmatic, along with three of its executives and the former Chairman of the Philippine Commission on Elections (COMELEC). The superseding indictment, returned on Thursday, October 16, 2025, charges the company and individuals with a conspiracy to pay and launder over $1 million in bribes to a Philippine government official to secure business related to the 2016 Philippine national elections.
Details of the Bribery Scheme
The alleged bribery scheme, which took place between 2015 and 2018, involved Roger Alejandro Piñate Martinez, 50, a Venezuelan citizen residing in Boca Raton, and Jorge Miguel Vasquez, 64, of Davie, among others. They are accused of causing at least $1 million in bribes to be paid to Juan Andres Donato Bautista, 61, the former COMELEC Chairman. The payments were intended to obtain and retain contracts from COMELEC, including favorable value-added tax (VAT) reimbursements and other contractual payments for SGO Corporation Limited and its affiliates.
To finance the illicit payments, co-conspirators reportedly created a slush fund by over-invoicing the cost per voting machine supplied for the 2016 Philippine elections. The scheme involved using coded language, creating fraudulent contracts and sham loan agreements, and routing transactions through various bank accounts in Asia, Europe, and the United States, including within the Southern District of Florida.
Charges and Potential Penalties
SGO Corporation Limited, Piñate, and Vasquez face one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Piñate and Vasquez are also charged with one count of violating the FCPA. Additionally, SGO Corporation Limited, Bautista, Piñate, Vasquez, and Elie Moreno, 45, a dual citizen of Venezuela and Israel, are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and three counts of international laundering of monetary instruments.
If convicted, Bautista, Piñate, Vasquez, and Moreno each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of international laundering of monetary instruments and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Piñate and Vasquez face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each of the FCPA and FCPA conspiracy counts. Bautista and Moreno are currently fugitives and remain at large.
Law Enforcement Action
The announcement of the superseding indictment was made by U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami. HSI’s El Dorado Task Force Miami is investigating the case, with assistance from IRS-CI Miami.
Ongoing Investigation and Implications
This superseding indictment highlights the Department of Justice’s ongoing efforts to combat foreign corruption and money laundering, particularly involving U.S. companies or individuals. The charges underscore the severe legal consequences for entities and executives who engage in bribery to gain unfair business advantages in international elections, reaffirming the commitment to upholding the integrity of global business practices.
