Federal prosecutors have charged three executives of Smartmatic, a U.K.-based election technology firm, with allegedly overbilling Los Angeles County for voting machines used in the 2020 election, diverting the excess funds into a “slush fund” to bribe government officials.
The accusations, detailed in a Florida federal corruption case, target Smartmatic co-founder Roger Alejandro Piñate Martinez and two other company officials, alleging that bribery was a core component of the company’s business practices, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The charges claim Smartmatic inflated the cost of voting machines in multiple regions, including Los Angeles County, to create illicit funds for securing political favors. In L.A. County, where Smartmatic secured a $282 million contract for the 2020 election—the largest election technology contract in U.S. history—prosecutors allege the company used taxpayer money to establish a slush fund, though they have not specified which officials, if any, benefited.
Dean Logan, L.A. County’s top voting official, has acknowledged regular meetings with Piñate, a Boca Raton resident who was previously charged in 2024 with bribery and money laundering related to a separate case in the Philippines.
In its defense, Fox News has scrutinized the relationship between Logan and Smartmatic, alleging that L.A. County is withholding critical records.
Fox News declined to comment further on the lawsuit’s allegations.
The case underscores broader concerns about the integrity of election technology contracts and the potential misuse of public funds, with implications for trust in electoral processes. As the trial approaches, the evidence presented could shed further light on Smartmatic’s operations and the oversight of major election contracts in the U.S. and abroad.