US Jury Finds BNP Paribas Liable for Sudan Atrocities Under Bashir Regime

A New York federal jury found French bank BNP Paribas liable for over $20 million in damages for providing financial services that helped sustain Sudan’s regime under former President Omar al-Bashir, during which atrocities including ethnic cleansing and genocide were committed. The jury sided with three Sudanese-born plaintiffs, now U.S. citizens, who testified to horrific abuses such as torture and sexual assault by government-linked militias. The verdict marks a significant legal precedent holding financial institutions accountable for the human costs of their business dealings, as BNP Paribas admitted to violating U.S. sanctions by processing blacklisted funds from Sudan. The bank, which operated in Sudan until 2009 and facilitated the regime’s access to billions of U.S. dollars, strongly denies complicity and plans to appeal the ruling. Advocates emphasize that the case shows financial support can be a "natural and adequate cause" of harm suffered by victims of international crimes. This decision may encourage further lawsuits by Sudanese refugees against BNP Paribas and other entities complicit in financing abusive regimes.