Crime

Home Crime

Smartmatic Execs Accused Of Bribery Scheme Tied To $300M LA Voting Contract

Federal prosecutors in Miami say top Smartmatic executives funneled money from a $300 million Los Angeles County voting contract into an illegal slush fund.

According to the Justice Department, Smartmatic co-founder Roger Alejandro Piñate Martinez and two others used shell companies and fake invoices to siphon off cash from the taxpayer-funded deal. That money allegedly ended up in bribes paid to government officials in Venezuela and the Philippines.

Joe DePaolo of Mediaite offers further insights:

Smartmatic is suing Fox News for $2.7 billion — alleging the network defamed them by promoting President Donald Trump’s false claims of a stolen election in the days and weeks after the 2020 vote.

The new filing is part of a corruption case in Florida against the three Smartmatic executives for allegedly operating a bribery and money-laundering scheme in which they are accused of paying off an election official in the Philippines to help secure $182 million in contracts. The DOJ also claims the executives carried a similar plot with a Venezuelan official — whom the executives gave a home with a pool in 2019, according to prosecutors.

The DOJ hasn’t charged Smartmatic as a company, nor has it accused any L.A. County officials of wrongdoing. Still, the department is clearly using the L.A. contract to establish a pattern of corrupt practices tied to the voting tech firm.

DePaolo continues:

Notably, the original case against the Smartmatic executives was brought in August 2024, during the final months of the Biden administration.

In a statement provided to the Los Angeles Times, Smartmatic spokesperson Samira Saba said the DOJ’s filing contained misrepresentations that were “untethered from reality.”

The DOJ’s latest move builds on earlier charges against the same executives. Federal prosecutors had previously accused Piñate of laundering money through a similar slush fund to bribe election officials in the Philippines during the 2016 elections.

To be clear, no one is alleging votes were tampered with or election results altered. The charges focus strictly on financial corruption — kickbacks, shell firms, and international bribery.

READ NEXT: Former Trump Ally Issues Fiery Response To Shock Report

Report: Alleged Trump Bomber Charged

2

Political threats are on the rise…

On Monday, A man pleaded not guilty after he allegedly drove past a security checkpoint and claimed to have an explosive device at a rally for former President Donald Trump in Michigan, last week.

Steven William Nauta was arrested after police say he drove around barricades set up for Trump’s rally and told police that he had a C4 explosive, WOOD TV 8 reported. According to a court document, Nauta “held up a bottle to police and stated that it was ‘C4’ explosive and that it was the ‘real deal.’” After being told to stop by officers, Nauta allegedly “sped off” before stopping and throwing bags of fertilizer on the ground.

The Daily Wire reports:

“When (Nauta) finally stopped, he removed bags of fertilizer from his vehicle and threw them on the ground to make it appear that they were explosives while disobeying officers’ commands,” the court document states. The 65-year-old was eventually detained by police, and the man allegedly told officers that he intended to make them believe that he had explosives. Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said there was no active bomb in Nauta’s vehicle.

Nauta’s virtual court appearance from a jail cell was a bizarre scene as the man took his shirt off at one point and made profane hand gestures, according to WOOD TV 8. Nauta was charged with one felony count each of a false report or threat of terrorism, possession of bombs with unlawful intent, third-degree fleeing a police officer, and resulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer.

Kent County, Michigan, District Court Judge Nicholas Christensen set the man’s bond at $1 million, and Nauta replied, “Well, your honor, given my situation, I think I’m better off just staying in here. Very cruel world out there. Probably a lot better off here.”

The judge told Nauta, “It’s not lost on this court here today that your alleged actions were directed to stopping or hindering a fundamental aspect of this country’s democratic process: a political rally.”

The Michigan man’s alleged bomb threat came just two weeks after Secret Service agents apprehended an alleged suspect with a gun near Trump’s golf course. Ryan Routh pleaded not guilty in court on Monday.

The Republican nominee said on Monday that he has requested more Secret Service agents, but alleged that Democrats are “not giving us the proper number of people within Secret Service that are necessary for Security.”

“We need more Secret Service, and we need them NOW,” Trump wrote. “It is ELECTION INTERFERENCE that we have to turn away thousands of people from arenas and venues because it is not being provided to us.”

Multiple House Democrats Report Bomb Threats On Thanksgiving

4

On Thanksgiving Day, three House Democrats reported receiving bomb threats prompting law enforcement to investigate the concerning trend.

In each case, Reps. Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Jim Himes (D-CT), and John Larson (D-CT) reported they were threatened with explosives early in the morning. After police got involved, each was deemed safe and the threats did not appear to be credible.

Himes said in a statement:

This morning, I was notified of a bomb threat targeting my home where I was celebrating Thanksgiving with my family. Thankfully, after a swift and thorough response from the United States Capitol Police, the Greenwich Police Department, and the Stamford Police Department, no evidence of a bomb was found. Mary, Emma, Linley, and I extend our utmost gratitude to our local law enforcement officers for their immediate action to ensure our safety. There is no place for political violence in this country, and I hope that we may all continue through the holiday season with peace and civility.

Hayes also released the following statement:

At 7:47am I was notified by Chief Edward Stephens of the Wolcott Police Department that they received a threatening email stating a pipe bomb had been placed in the mailbox at my home. State police, U.S. Capitol Police, and the Sergeant at Arms were immediately notified. The Wolcott Police Department and State Police responded and no bomb or explosive materials were discovered and the scene was cleared.

At this time the investigation is ongoing. I thank law enforcement for their swift attention to this matter, their actions demonstrate there is no place in our country for political violence. On this Thanksgiving, I am grateful for my family and loved ones. I plan to spend the day with them and hope you all do the same. May you have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

Larson said in a statement he was visited early Thursday at his home by officers in East Hartford.

“The police determined no bomb was present at the property and the Larson family is safe,” the congressman said. “I would like to thank the East Hartford Police Department for their swift and professional response in ensuring the safety of my family. I am grateful that my colleagues in the Connecticut Congressional Delegation, who received similar threats, are also safe. Thanks again to law enforcement at every level, from local, to state, to federal.”

The trio of threats comes days after incoming White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reported that multiple Trump Cabinet nominees have also received death threats.

Nearly a dozen of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees and other appointees tapped for the incoming administration were targeted Tuesday night with “violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them,” prompting a “swift” law enforcement response.

The “attacks ranged from bomb threats to ‘swatting,’” according to Karoline Leavitt.

“[Tuesday] night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them,” she told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “In response, law enforcement acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action.” 

Escaped Louisiana Inmate Releases Video Pleading With Trump For Help: Watch

Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

A desperate plea for help…

The man identifying himself as Antoine Massey, one of 10 escapees from the Orleans Justice Center (OJC) last month, claimed he was “let out” — and showed papers to the camera in a viral video supposedly backing up his story. The men fled the jail through an opening behind a toilet. Graffiti was left near the point of escape that read, “To Easy LoL.”

Eight of the 10 men have been apprehended by authorities.

“They say that I broke out,” he said. “I didn’t break out. I was let out.”

Massey claimed he has a signed affidavit clearing him of an assault charge, alleging the person who accused him of the assault swore previous statements given were false.

“If the individual depicted in the video is indeed Antoine Massey, we strongly urge him to come forward and turn himself in to the proper authorities,” the Orleans parish sheriff’s office said in a statement about the video. “Cooperating with law enforcement is in his best interest and may help avoid additional charges. It is important that justice is served appropriately and that due process is followed.”

Massey has a history of being on the run. According to NOLA.com, Massey, 32, has made multiple escape attempts from detention centers dating back to 2007 when he was a minor.

Massey also sought help from rappers like Lil Wayne and Meek Mill when he’s back in “custody.” He denied allegations of threatening a maintenance worker as part of the latest escape. There is a $50,000 reward being offered for information leading to Massey’s arrest.

“I’m saying people that been through the system that know it’s corrupt. Lil Wayne, Donald Trump, please, I’m asking for help. You know what I’m saying?” he said.

NYC Mayor ‘Welcomes’ Possible Trump Support After Corruption Indictment

2

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is looking for support anywhere he can get it.

Adams said he would “welcome support from every American” in response to a question from the Washington Examiner about whether he would accept former President Donald Trump’s favor.

Trump recently said he had predicted Adams would be “indicted within a year” as the mayor called for federal government funds to deal with the city’s migrant crisis.

“Listen, I welcome support from every American,” Adams said Tuesday at a press conference. “No matter where they are and who they are, I welcome support from every American. Those who know me and know how I am, and those who are just reading up on this. So every American in this great country, I welcome support from.”

Trump’s comments last week suggested that he sympathized with the mayor.

“I watched about a year ago when he talked about how the illegal migrants are hurting our city, and the federal government should pay us, and we shouldn’t have to take them,” the former president said. “And I said, ‘You know what? He’ll be indicted within a year,’ and I was exactly right.”

Watch:

An Adams spokesman believes press coverage of Adams’s remarks has been misguided.

“This is a distortion of what the mayor said today,” Fabien Levy, Adams’s deputy mayor for communications, said in a social media post. “He never said he was looking for Trump’s support. Mayor Adams has said multiple times that he supports Kamala Harris for president. In fact, the mayor traveled to Chicago to support her historic nomination in August.”

Adams was recently indicted on five corruption charges, including bribery and wire fraud, for his actions allegedly soliciting benefits from foreign nationals, namely Turkish government officials, in exchange for favors.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams could be facing a bevy of new charges after being indicted last week in a federal corruption case. On Wednesday, prosecutors said that further counts are “quite likely” and that more defendants may be implicated.

Trump Assassination Attempt Suspect Seeks Judge’s Recusal From Case

3

The man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course in September filed a motion requesting the judge recuse herself from the case.

Ryan Routh’s legal team raised concerns about Judge Aileen Cannon’s impartiality due to her appointment by Trump and the former president’s public praise of her judicial decisions regarding his classified documents case, according to the motion.

Routh’s attorneys argued that the unique nature of the case could lead the public to question the fairness of the proceedings.

“Mr. Trump is the current Republican candidate for President in next month’s election. On the campaign trail, he has repeatedly praised Your Honor for her rulings in his case,” the motion stated. “By repeatedly and publicly praising this Court by name for its rulings in his case, Mr. Trump has arguably bolstered the perception that the Court is partial in his favor. Moreover, were Mr. Trump to become President again in the future, he would be in a position to nominate Your Honor to a vacancy on a higher appellate court, including the U.S. Supreme Court.”

The defense highlighted the potential conflict of interest, given Trump’s role as the alleged victim in this case.

“As the alleged victim here, he has a significant stake in the outcome of this case too. Were he to become President in the future, he would have authority to nominate Your Honor to a federal judgeship on a higher court were a vacancy to arise.”

Cannon previously granted former Trump’s motion to dismiss the classified documents case in July, siding with his argument that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional.

Suspect Arrested After Ramming Car Into White House Barricade

1

A man was arrested Tuesday night after driving his vehicle into a security gate at the White House complex, the United States Secret Service (USSS) announced. According to the agency, at approximately 10:37 p.m. on October 21, the individual drove his vehicle into the Secret Service vehicle gate located at 17th and E Streets NW in Washington.

Arrest image via Pixabay

Uniformed Division officers of the Secret Service immediately arrested the driver. The vehicle was assessed in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and was “deemed safe.”

The agency said the investigation into the cause of the collision is ongoing, and no motive has yet been publicly identified.

While officials noted there was no known breach of the core residence or threat to the President’s safety at the time, the incident raises fresh questions about security.

Since President Trump returned to office for his second term, the nation has witnessed a number of alarming incidents—some narrowly averted, some still under investigation. Two recent events in particular stand out:

1. The hunting-stand incident near Air Force One
Over the weekend, the Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) launched a federal probe after agents discovered a “hunting stand” positioned in a tree with a direct line of sight toward where Air Force One touches down at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida, ahead of President Trump’s arrival at his estate in Mar-a-Lago.

While officials stressed that no individuals, ammunition or explosives were found at the site, the discovery of an elevated platform within view of the presidential aircraft sparked serious concern. It comes on the heels of past assassination attempts targeting the Republican President.

2. The July-and-September 2024 assassination attempts
On July 13, 2024, while President Trump was speaking at a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania, a gunman climbed onto a rooftop and fired multiple shots; one grazed Trump’s ear and a spectator was killed.

Then on September 15, 2024, at the Trump International Golf Club, West Palm Beach in Florida, 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh was spotted hiding in shrubbery with a rifle aimed at Trump. Secret Service agents intervened and arrested him later that day.

Woman Arrested After Traveling To D.C. While Threatening To Assassinate Trump

1
Gage Skidmore Flickr

An Indiana woman has been arrested after threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump.

On Monday, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced Nathalie Jones, 50, of Lafayette, Indiana, was arrested in the District of Columbia on Saturday in connection with making a series of threats on social media in which she threatened to kill President Trump.

“Hi everyone, it’s Judge Jeanine. I just wanted to let you know here from the United States Attorney’s Office in D.C. that an individual by the name of Nathalie Rose Jones is now in custody, charged with two federal crimes for knowingly and willfully threatening to take the life of the President of the United States,” Pirro said in a clip she released on social media.

“She did come from New York to Washington, D.C. and she has been threatening and calling for the removal of the president and even worse as she got to D.C. Her threats were on Facebook and Instagram and she continued to call the president a terrorist and was working to have him eliminated. She is now in custody. She will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Make no mistake about that,” Pirro said with a hint of a smile.

On Facebook between August 6 and August 15,  “Nath.Jones” allegedly continued to post threatening comments about President Trump. In an August 6 post directed at the FBI, Nath.Jones wrote that “I am willing to sacrificially kill this POTUS by disemboweling him and cutting out his trachea with Liz Cheney and all The Affirmation present.”

            On August 14, in a post directed to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Nath Jones allegedly wrote “please arrange the arrest and removal ceremony of POTUS Trump as a terrorist on the American People from 10-2pm at the White House on Saturday, August 16th, 2025.”

            On August 15, the U.S. Secret Service conducted a voluntary interview with Jones, during which she stated the President was a “terrorist” and a “nazi,” that if she had the opportunity, she would take the President’s life and would kill him at “the compound” if she had to, that she had a “bladed object,” which she said was the weapon she would use to “carry out her mission of killing” the president, and that she wanted to “avenge all the lives lost during the Covid-19 pandemic,” which she atrributed to President Trump’s administration and its position on vaccinations.

            On August 16, Jones joined a protest demonstration that started at Dupont Circle, and circumnavigated the White House complex. Following the march, the U.S. Secret Service interviewed Jones for a second time, during which she admitted that she had made threats towards President Trump during her interview the previous day. She denied having any present desire to harm the President of the United States. Law enforcement arrested her and she confirmed that she was the owner of the Facebook user account “Nath Jones” and that she had posted the threatening statements.

Pirro, who was best known in recent years for her hot takes on The Five, is now the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Her office also put out a statement on the arrest, which read, “Nathalie Rose Jones, 50, of Lafayette, Indiana, was arrested in the District of Columbia on Saturday, August 16, and charged in connection with making a series of threats on social media in which she threatened to kill President Trump, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.”

“Jones was charged in a complaint in U.S. District Court with threatening to take the life of, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States, and transmitting in interstate commerce communications containing threats to kidnap any person or any threat to injure the person of another,” added the statement.

Trump Mulls Deploying National Guard To DC

President Donald J. Trump is presented with a 10th Combat Aviation Brigade challenge coin following an air assault and gun rain demonstration at Fort Drum, New York, on August 13. The demonstration was part of President Trump's visit to the 10th Mountain Division (LI) to sign the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, which increases the Army's authorized active-duty end strength by 4,000 enabling us to field critical capabilities in support of the National Defense Strategy. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Thomas Scaggs) 180813-A-TZ475-010

President Donald Trump is seriously considering deploying up to 1,000 National Guard troops to Washington D.C., a U.S. official confirmed to Fox News.

The troops would likely be pulled from the DC National Guard, although the decision about sending National Guard troops is not final, the official said. 

Federal agents have deployed to DC streets in recent days, including officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Trump said on social media on Sunday that the news conference on crime and “beautification” will “not only involve ending the Crime, Murder, and Death in our Nation’s Capital, but will also be about Cleanliness and the General Physical Renovation and Condition of our once beautiful and well maintained Capital.”

“Washington, D.C. will be LIBERATED today!,” Trump wrote on TRUTH Social. “Crime, Savagery, Filth, and Scum will DISAPPEAR. I will, MAKE OUR CAPITAL GREAT AGAIN! The days of ruthlessly killing, or hurting, innocent people, are OVER! I quickly fixed the Border (ZERO ILLEGALS in last 3 months!), D.C. is next!!!” 

Trump described D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser – who publicly clashed with Trump during the George Floyd riots in 2020 – “a good person who has tried, but she has been given many chances, and the Crime Numbers get worse, and the City only gets dirtier and less attractive.” 

“The American Public is not going to put up with it any longer,” the president wrote. “Just like I took care of the Border, where you had ZERO Illegals coming across last month, from millions the year before, I will take care of our cherished Capital, and we will make it, truly, GREAT AGAIN! Before the tents, squalor, filth, and Crime, it was the most beautiful Capital in the World. It will soon be that again. Thank you for your attention to this matter — See you tomorrow at 10 A.M.!” 

The president has reignited his warnings about a federal government takeover of Washington, and said he may even deploy the National Guard over recent crime. 

Bowser told MSNBC on Sunday that “it is always the president’s prerogative to use federal law enforcement of the National Guard.” 

On Sunday, police instituted a juvenile curfew in the popular Navy Yard neighborhood, after a stolen gun was discharged during a large gathering of young people late on Saturday. The incident came even as the White House had deployed a surge of federal law enforcement officers in the city over the weekend. 

Trump also said the homeless population would have to move “immediately,” posting photos of encampments and trash on the streets. 

“There will be no ‘MR. NICE GUY,’” Trump posted. “We want our Capital BACK.”

Last week, Trump teased taking federal control of D.C. after former Department of Government Efficiency employee Edward “Big Balls” Coristine was brutally beaten during an attempted carjacking by teenage suspects. 

Pennsylvania Man Charged For Allegedly Threatening To Kill Trump

2
President Donald Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud at the Royal Court Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

A 22-year-old Pennsylvania man is facing federal charges after allegedly making violent threats against President-elect Donald Trump just days before he was set to take office.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Jacob Buckley of Port Matilda posted several alarming threats on TikTok under the username “Jacob_buckley” on January 16. His posts included, “I’m going to kill Trump” and other comments targeting MAGA supporters.

He also wrote on the TikTok account, “I’m going to kill Trump,” and, “Bro we going into a literal oligarchy in 4 days and im going to kill Trump,” according to prosecutors. 

Federal prosecutors confirmed that Buckley was charged by criminal information for threatening Trump as the incoming President. The investigation was led by the U.S. Secret Service.

“The maximum penalty upon conviction on the Information is 5 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment,” the office added. 

If convicted, Buckley could face up to five years in prison, along with fines and supervised release.

This case comes just weeks after another man—37-year-old Carl Montague of Rhode Island—was charged for allegedly threatening to kill Trump and members of his incoming administration on Truth Social. Montague’s posts included violent threats aimed at Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.