# Smartmatic The second election technology company targeted by the post-2020 election fraud conspiracy — and the one whose **$2.7 billion** defamation lawsuit against [[Fox News]] remains pending and could go to trial in 2026–2027, potentially exposing even more internal Fox communications than the [[Dominion Voting Systems]] case did. Smartmatic's case has been complicated by a federal corruption indictment unrelated to U.S. elections, creating a parallel legal crisis that Fox has tried (unsuccessfully) to use to delay the defamation proceedings. ## Background Founded in 2000 in Boca Raton, Florida, by Antonio Mugica. Smartmatic (formally SGO Corporation Limited, UK-based) provides election technology and voting systems internationally. The company's technology has been used in elections across multiple countries, including Venezuela, the Philippines, Belgium, and others. Smartmatic's involvement in U.S. elections was far more limited than [[Dominion Voting Systems]]'s. In 2020, Smartmatic technology was used in only one U.S. county: Los Angeles County, California. ## The Conspiracy Theory Despite its minimal role in U.S. elections, Smartmatic was swept into the same conspiracy theory that targeted Dominion. Trump allies — particularly [[Sidney Powell]] and [[Rudy Giuliani]] — falsely claimed that Smartmatic's software was connected to Venezuelan dictator [[Hugo Chávez]] and had been used to rig the 2020 election. Fox News hosts and guests, including [[Jeanine Pirro]] and Maria Bartiromo, amplified these claims on air. ## The Fox News Lawsuit ($2.7 Billion) Smartmatic filed a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit in New York, naming Fox News, Fox Corporation, and three specific on-air personalities: Maria Bartiromo, Lou Dobbs, and [[Jeanine Pirro]]. **Key milestones:** - **January 2025:** An appellate court rejected Fox's attempt to dismiss the case, clearing the path toward trial - **May 2025:** Fox won a partial appellate victory narrowing some claims, but the core defamation case survived - **December 2025:** Both sides argued for summary judgment, with a hearing on December 2 - **2026–2027:** Trial could occur depending on court scheduling Fox attempted to use Smartmatic's federal indictment (see below) as grounds to pause the defamation case. The court denied that motion — the defamation proceedings continue regardless. If the case goes to trial, it could produce another round of damaging internal Fox communications, potentially even more revealing than the Dominion discovery. ## Other Defamation Lawsuits Smartmatic also filed defamation lawsuits against: - **[[Newsmax]]** — Settled September 2024 (terms undisclosed) - **[[Rudy Giuliani]]** — Pending - **[[Mike Lindell]]** — Pending ## Federal Corruption Indictment (October 2025) On October 16, 2025, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned a superseding indictment charging Smartmatic and several executives with Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations and money laundering related to the **2016 Philippine national elections** — entirely unrelated to U.S. elections or the 2020 conspiracy theory. **The allegations:** - Smartmatic allegedly paid approximately $1 million in bribes to Juan Andres Donato Bautista, the former Chairman of the Philippine Commission on Elections (COMELEC), to secure contracts worth approximately $182 million - The bribes were financed through over-invoicing the cost per voting machine - Payments were concealed through coded language, fraudulent contracts, sham loan agreements, and routing through bank accounts in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. **Charges:** Conspiracy to violate FCPA, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and three counts of international laundering of monetary instruments. **Critical context:** The indictment contains no allegations of voter fraud or election rigging. The charges are about bribery to win a contract, not about manipulating vote counts. However, the indictment damages Smartmatic's credibility and public standing at the worst possible moment — while it is pursuing the $2.7 billion defamation case against Fox. ## Analytical Framework Smartmatic represents an unresolved thread in the KB. The Dominion case is settled; the Smartmatic case is not. If it goes to trial, the discovery and testimony could produce a second wave of internal Fox communications showing how the network knowingly aired false election claims. The federal corruption indictment adds a layer of moral complexity: Smartmatic may be both a victim of defamation (the false claims about U.S. election rigging) and a perpetrator of corruption (the Philippine bribery scheme). These are entirely separate matters, but Fox will attempt to conflate them in the public narrative. ## See Also - [[Dominion Voting Systems]] — The other election tech company targeted by the same conspiracy ($787.5M settlement) - [[Fox News]] — The defendant in the $2.7 billion lawsuit - [[Jeanine Pirro]] — Named defendant in the Smartmatic lawsuit, now U.S. Attorney - [[Newsmax]] — Settled with Smartmatic (September 2024) - [[Stop the Steal]] — The broader conspiracy framework