Lafarge to Appeal Syria Terror Financing Conviction
The Paris Court of Appeal prosecutor’s office said both the company and eight co-defendants, including former CEO Bruno Lafont, have formally filed appeals against the April 13 judgment.
The court previously found that Lafarge paid nearly €5.6 million (about $6.5 million) to armed groups operating in Syria between 2013 and 2014, including ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra, and Ahrar al-Sham, in order to maintain operations at its cement plant in Jalabiya in northern Syria.
The ruling described the case as exceptionally serious, stating that the payments represented an unprecedented amount in a French terrorism financing case and contributed to financing violent activity both in the region and abroad, including Europe.
Lafarge was fined €1.125 million (about $1.3 million / approx $1.23 million) — the maximum penalty for the charge — and was also ordered to pay a €4.57 million (about $5.3 million / approx $4.98 million) customs fine jointly with four former executives for breaching international sanctions.
Bruno Lafont, 69, was sentenced to six years in prison with immediate incarceration. He was taken into custody directly from the courtroom and is currently being held at La Santé prison in Paris. His request for release is expected to be reviewed starting May 4, according to French media reports.
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