CNN —Smartmatic, the voting technology company suing Fox News and former President Donald Trump’s top allies over their false claims that its machines rigged the 2020 election, was implicated in an alleged bribery scheme involving the former top election official in the Philippines, according to court filings obtained by CNN. The court documents indicate that the Justice Department has filed money laundering charges against former Filipino election administrator Andres Bautista – and that four executives from Smartmatic subsidiaries are implicated as uncharged co-conspirators. Bautista awarded $199 million in contracts to Smartmatic for about 94,000 voting machines and to handle the results of the Philippines’ presidential election in 2016. The new allegations of corrupt foreign dealings could boost the defense for Fox News and the other Trump allies currently fighting Smartmatic in court. The criminal complaint against Bautista doesn’t accuse Smartmatic of tampering with election results in the Philippines or any other jurisdiction.

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Persons: CNN — Smartmatic, Donald Trump’s, Andres Bautista –, Smartmatic, Samira Saba, “, Bautista, ” Smartmatic, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Mike Lindell, OAN, Bautista “, ”, ” Bautista, Saba, Bautista doesn’t Organizations: CNN, Fox News, Justice, Trump, Fox, “, State Department, Southern, Southern District of Locations: Philippines, California, Florida, Venezuela, Southern District, Southern District of Florida