Webcast details: November 4, 2025 – 2 p.m. ET
CPE Credit(s): 1

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What happens when business survival and corporate ambition collide with conflict and compliance obligations?

This webcast takes a closer look at Compliance Week’s new case study, Inside a Dark Pact: A Case Study of Lafarge’s Terrorist Funding and Compliance Fallout in Syria.

Joining the discussion is Michael Olver, a compliance and investigations expert with extensive on-the-ground experience in conflict zones. Together with case study author Aly McDevitt and Compliance Week editor-in-chief Aaron Nicodemus, this webcast will unpack what went wrong, what could have been done differently, and what lessons global companies can take away from one of the most significant corporate compliance cases of the decade.

About the Case Study

Between 2013 and 2014, Paris-based cement maker Lafarge made payments to armed groups, including U.S.-designated terrorist organizations, to continue operating in war-torn Syria. Lafarge executives attempted to conceal these payments through the use of middlemen, false invoices and euphemistic labels, i.e. “donations.”

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Lafarge routed approximately $5.92 million in illicit payments to two of the world’s most notorious terrorist organizations: the al-Nusra Front (ANF) and the Islamic State of Syria (ISIS). In 2022, Lafarge pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorist organizations, marking the first case of its kind in the United States. In France, the company and eight individuals, including its former global chief executive officer (CEO), face upcoming charges of financing terrorist enterprises and, for some, violating international financial sanctions.

The Webcast Will Explore:

  • The story behind Lafarge’s operations in Syria and how its compliance failures unfolded
  • The real-world challenges of doing business in conflict zones and managing risk in unstable environments
  • How investigators approach evidence, accountability, and due diligence under dangerous conditions
  • Key takeaways for strengthening compliance and risk management frameworks in high-risk regions

Speakers:
Michael Olver, Chief Executive Officer, PSA
Aaron Nicodemus, Editor-in-Chief, Compliance Week
Aly McDevitt, Data and Research Journalist, Compliance Week