Military Families Press DOJ to Release $777 Million Lafarge ISIS Victim Fund
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 22
Military Families Press DOJ to Release $777 Million Lafarge ISIS Victim Fund
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 22
$777 million in Lafarge forfeiture funds remains undistributed, prompting nearly 1,000 plaintiffs—mostly U.S. military families—to press the Justice Department for compensation tied to ISIS attacks in Syria.
The demand gained force after a French court in April convicted Lafarge of materially supporting a terror group, while the company had already paid more than $777 million to the DOJ in its 2022 U.S. settlement.
Lawyers for about 25 families, including injured Navy EOD veteran Kenton Stacy, say the money has sat with the DOJ since October 2022 even though the Biden administration had delayed payouts pending the French case.
Lafarge admitted paying $17 million overall, including more than $6.5 million to ISIS in 2013-2014, to keep its Syrian cement plant operating; plaintiffs say the payments helped fund the group that killed or wounded their relatives.
The families now say Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche can authorize distribution, while the DOJ says it is committed to compensating victims through the proper claims process.
As one victim fund stalls, another emerges. How does the government decide which victims get compensated first?
A CEO is jailed for terror financing. How many other corporations are complicit in global conflict zones?
The Unallocated $687 Million: Lafarge, ISIS Victims, and the Global Fight for Corporate Accountability
Overview
Over two years after Lafarge agreed to a major settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, $687 million in forfeited funds remains unallocated, creating mounting pressure from civil society and victims’ groups for its release to those harmed by ISIS and ANF atrocities. Despite Lafarge’s payment and the Attorney General’s broad discretionary powers—which have previously enabled creative solutions like transferring Russian assets to Ukrainian victims—the DOJ has made no public commitment to direct these funds to victims. This ongoing delay has fueled concerns and calls for a clear, victim-centered approach to ensure justice and meaningful compensation.