A federal grand jury in Miami has issued a superseding indictment against SGO Corporation Limited, also known as Smartmatic, and several individuals, alleging their involvement in a bribery and money laundering scheme related to the 2016 Philippine national elections.
The indictment names SGO Corporation Limited, three of its executives, and the former Chairman of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) of the Philippines. The individuals were first indicted in August 2024.
According to the indictment, between 2015 and 2018, Roger Alejandro Piñate Martinez, a Venezuelan citizen living in Boca Raton, and Jorge Miguel Vasquez of Davie, conspired with others to pay at least $1 million in bribes to Juan Andres Donato Bautista, the former Chairman of COMELEC. The payments were allegedly made to secure business from COMELEC, including favorable value added tax reimbursements and other contractual benefits for SGO Corporation Limited and its affiliates.
The indictment alleges that the conspirators created a slush fund by over-invoicing voting machines supplied for the 2016 elections. They are accused of concealing the payments through coded language, fraudulent contracts, sham loan agreements, and by routing transactions through bank accounts in Asia, Europe, and the United States—including accounts within the Southern District of Florida.
SGO Corporation Limited, Piñate, and Vasquez face charges of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Piñate and Vasquez are also charged with violating the FCPA. Additionally, SGO Corporation Limited, Bautista, Piñate, Vasquez, and Elie Moreno—a dual citizen of Venezuela and Israel—are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and three counts of international laundering of monetary instruments. If convicted on these charges, Bautista, Piñate, Vasquez, and Moreno could face up to 20 years in prison for each count related to money laundering. Piñate and Vasquez could also face up to five years for each FCPA-related count. Bautista and Moreno are currently fugitives.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida stated: “An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations’ El Dorado Task Force Miami with support from IRS Criminal Investigation Miami. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs as well as Philippine authorities have provided assistance. Prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Emery for the Southern District of Florida along with attorneys from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. Asset forfeiture matters are being managed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster.
Court documents related to this case can be accessed via www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-20343.
