Smartmatic Accused of Bribing Top Election Official, Using Bribery As a ‘Routine Business Practice’

By Rusty Weiss

Federal prosecutors in Miami have accused Roger Piñate, co-founder of the Florida-based voting technology company Smartmatic, of bribing a top Venezuelan election official to secure a contract.

Piñate is accused of transferring a luxury Caracas residence to Venezuela’s former elections chief, Tibisay Lucena Ramírez, in order to gain political favors. The alleged bribe aimed to secure Ramirez’s assistance in a dispute with the Venezuelan government.

Miami prosecutors detailed the bribe in a recent court filing, according to an extensive report by the Miami Herald, intending to use it as evidence against Piñate, who is facing money laundering and bribery charges related to contracts in the Philippines.

Prosecutors allege that they not only have text messages, along with photos and witness accounts, showing that Piñate transferred the home to Ramirez, who is president of Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, but they also have messages showing an attempt to conceal the transaction, knowing it was a bribe.

Ramirez’s role on the Council meant they had authority over the country’s controversial voting system, the Herald writes.

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Read Full Article Here…(redstate.com)

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