The Sherpa association filed a complaint on Wednesday against Paribas, Crédit Agricole, BPCE and Axa, for “money laundering and receiving stolen goods” in connection with their support for companies responsible for “illegal deforestation” in Brazil, according to the receipt filed with the Prosecutor’s Office financial national consulted by AFP.
Between 2013 and 2021, these four groups made investments amounting to nearly $70 million for the benefit of JBS and Marfrig, companies with a proven history of illegal deforestation, land grabbing of indigenous peoples and forced labor. in their beef supply chains, the association explained in a press release, where it claims to be supported by Harvest, the Center for Climate Crime Analysis, Reprter Brasil and Transparency International.
According to Sherpa’s analysis, the fact that these companies were able to earn interest on money coming from illegal activity, and that they were able to help with the investment of these funds, constitutes a breach of their obligation to fight against whitening.
If this criminal complaint on the basis of money laundering and concealment offenses is a first for banks, according to the Sherpa association, it occurs in a context of an increase in legal disputes linked to the preservation of the planet.
BNP Paribas was already hit at the start of the year by a complaint on the same subject with the Paris judicial court but on the basis of the duty of vigilance.
The law requires multinationals based in France to establish a plan that includes reasonable vigilance measures to identify risks and prevent serious attacks on human rights and fundamental freedoms, the health and safety of people and the environment. , resulting from the activities of the company and those of the companies it controls in France and abroad.
Dating from 2017, this law has not yet resulted in any convictions and, according to some, suffers from shortcomings for it to be truly effective.