UMVA has learned that a lawsuit brought by military families against the French cement company, Lafarge, has shed light on the company's disturbing ties to the terrorist group ISIS.
In November 2017, Chief Petty Officer Kenton Stacy was severely injured in Raqqa, Syria, while clearing a hospital booby-trapped by ISIS. Today, Stacy is a quadriplegic, and his family is part of the lawsuit seeking compensation from Lafarge, which was recently found guilty by a French court of paying millions of dollars in bribes to ISIS.
Lindsey Stacy, Kenton's wife, expressed her outrage, saying, "They were essentially funneling money to fund terrorists and ISIS and all these heinous crimes and evil acts." The family's struggles are compounded by their 4 children, including one with cerebral palsy, requiring 24/7 care.
President Trump praised Stacy's service in his 2018 State of the Union Address, highlighting the heroic actions of Army Staff Sergeant Justin Peck, who performed over 2 hours of CPR to save Stacy's life. Peck's selfless act undoubtedly saved Stacy's life, and his bravery is a testament to the bond between fellow warriors.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that a French court convicted Lafarge of providing material support to a terror group, sentencing its former CEO to 6 years in prison and finding eight former employees guilty. Lafarge is appealing the decision, but the company's acknowledgment of the court's finding is a significant step towards accountability.
The lawsuit, representing nearly 1,000 plaintiffs, mostly military families, seeks compensation from the $777 million Lafarge paid to the Justice Department as part of its settlement. Todd Toral, the lawyer representing Stacy and other families, emphasized the significance of the ruling, saying it's the first time a corporation and its executives have been held accountable for aiding terrorism.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that Lafarge paid over $6.5 million to ISIS from 2013-2014 to keep its production facilities running in ISIS-controlled areas of Syria. The cement produced at its factory was used to build tunnels and bunkers, further aiding the terrorist group.
Hailey Dayton, whose father was the first American killed by ISIS in Syria, shared her heart-wrenching story, saying, "I was 15 when my dad was killed... I saw six guys in Navy white step out of the van. I got so excited because I thought my dad came back to surprise us." The Biden Justice Department's delay in distributing the Lafarge funds has left families like Dayton's in limbo.
The plaintiffs, mostly military families, are now urging Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to release the funds, with Lindsey Stacy saying, "There's a lot of families out there that could benefit from these funds. It would be nice to, you know, for justice to be served." The families' plight has sparked calls for accountability and swift action from the Department of Justice.
Toral, representing the families, emphasized their worthiness of receiving compensation, stating, "We can think of no group of people who are more worthy of receiving compensation from that victim's compensation fund than these families who lost a son, lost a brother, lost a husband, and they deserve to be treated better by the United States of America."
