French court convicts Lafarge and former executives over Syria terror financing

A Paris court has found French cement maker Lafarge guilty in a long-running case over payments made to armed groups in Syria to keep its plant operating during the civil war.

Reporting on Monday said the verdict also convicted former executives, including former CEO Bruno Lafont. The case centers on payments made in 2013 and 2014 during Lafarge’s Syria operations.

Holcim’s 2025 annual report had already noted that the criminal judgment was due on April 13, 2026. The filing also said Lafarge had continued cooperating with French judicial authorities.

The ruling adds another major legal chapter to the company’s Syria conduct, after a separate U.S. Justice Department case in 2022 in which Lafarge pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to foreign terrorist organizations.

Details on any appeal were not immediately clear in the available reporting.