US: French cement firm admits Islamic State group payments

By ERIC TUCKER and BOBBY CAINA CALVAN
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — French cement company Lafarge has pleaded guilty to paying millions of dollars to the Islamic State group so a plant in Syria could remain open, a case the Justice Department describes as the first of its kind. Lafarge has agreed to pay fines of $91 million and forfeit $687 million. Prosecutors accused Lafarge of turning a blind eye to the militant group’s conduct, which included beheading kidnapped Westerners. The charges were announced Tuesday by federal prosecutors in New York City and by Justice Department leaders from Washington. Lafarge merged with Swiss company Holcim to form the world’s largest cement maker. Holcim fired the former Lafarge executives who were involved in the payments.