Lafarge SA, one of France's largest companies, has been placed under formal investigation over allegations that it financed terrorist groups in order to continue operating in Syria. The company is also being investigated for endangering the lives of its employees in order to keep its Syrian cement plant running as civil war raged in the country.
Claims against Lafarge include pushing the limits of international law and lax security at the Syria factory. Lafarge also allegedly made payments to the Islamic State and other armed groups to provide free passage for employees to and from the cement plant and resolve sporadic kidnappings by militant factions, according to the New York Times article.
According to French court documents, Lafarge agents paid over $5 million to armed groups.
(more about the charges against Lafarge and its Syrian factory...)
