Smartmatic Executive Charged With Bribing Senior Venezuelan Election Official

Charges Filed Against Smartmatic Co-Founder

A federal prosecutor in South Florida has brought significant allegations against Roger Piñate, a Venezuelan-American tech executive and one of the founders of the voting technology firm Smartmatic.

The charges suggest that Piñate secretly coordinated the management of a luxury property in Caracas with Tibisai Lucena Ramirez, the longtime leader of the National Election Council (CNE). Reports indicate that Piñate, 49, may have influenced Ramirez back in 2019.

Smartmatic has accused the Venezuelan government of election fraud during the 2017 National Constituent Assembly elections, which subsequently led to the company suspending its operations in the country. In the court filing, the prosecutor has presented evidence including eyewitness accounts, encrypted messages, and photos. These materials allegedly show Piñate facilitating high-value home transactions through foreign shell companies while concealing the unlawful nature of the deals.

Smartmatic has firmly denied the accusations, arguing that the government’s claims misrepresent the truth. The company has stated that it halted all business activities in Venezuela in August 2017 after reporting election fraud and has not sought to re-establish business since then.

In a statement, Smartmatic emphasized its commitment to legal and ethical practices, labeling the bribery allegations as baseless. They mentioned that any government claims, such as the alleged bribery incident in 2019, are detached from reality, asserting they have always operated transparently.

The property at the center of this dispute is reportedly linked to Ramirez, who played a crucial role in Venezuela’s electoral processes as head of the CNE from 2006 to 2020. During her tenure, she managed the country’s contentious voting framework and had interactions with firms like Smartmatic.

Prosecutors believe that ensuring Ramirez’s support was a key factor in navigating the ongoing tension with the Venezuelan government. The bribery charges are part of a broader investigation into Piñate’s purported illegal business dealings.

Additionally, Piñate has faced separate charges from the US government regarding another bribery scheme related to election contracts in the Philippines. Both he and his co-defendant, Jorge Miguel Vasquez, were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and bribery linked to an overinflated voting machine contract in the Philippines.