Lafarge pleads guilty to U.S. charge of supporting Islamic State, to pay $778 million

FILE PHOTO: The logo of French concrete maker Lafarge is seen on the plant of Bercy on the banks of the river Seine in Paris, France, September 3, 2020. REUTERS/Charles Platiau

NEW YORK (Reuters) - French cement maker Lafarge pleaded guilty in U.S. court on Tuesday to a charge that it made payments to groups designated as terrorists by the United States, including Islamic State, so the company could keep operating in Syria.

The admission in Brooklyn federal court marked the first time a company has pleaded guilty in the United States to charges of providing material support to a terrorist organization. Lafarge, which became part of Swiss-listed Holcim in 2015, agreed to pay $778 million in forfeiture and fines as part of the plea agreement.