Historic Verdict: Lafarge Found Guilty of Financing Terrorism in Syria
A Paris court found Lafarge's Syrian unit guilty of financing terrorism and breaching European sanctions. The landmark case resulted in fines and jail sentences for former executives. Lafarge allegedly paid jihadist groups to keep a Syrian plant operating during the civil war, sparking widespread condemnation.
In a landmark ruling, a Paris court on Monday declared Lafarge's Syrian unit guilty of charges that it financed terrorism and violated European sanctions. The judgment marks the first conviction of a corporation in France for funding terrorism, highlighting the legal repercussions for multinational corporations accused of misconduct.
Prominent executives, including ex-CEO Bruno Lafont and Christian Herrault, the former deputy managing director, were sentenced to six and five years in jail respectively. Both plan to appeal the decision. The ruling found that Lafarge made payments exceeding €5.59 million to jihadist groups during 2013 and 2014, which were disguised as a commercial partnership to maintain operations at their Syrian plant.
The cement giant was fined €1.125 million, acknowledging a breach of its Code of Conduct. Insights from prior incidents in the U.S. bolster further investigations into similar charges about complicity in crimes against humanity in France. These legal measures signify a significant step in pursuing corporate accountability.
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Historic Verdict: Lafarge Guilty of Financing Terrorism to Keep Syrian Plant Operational
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