McDonald’s is to pay $1.3 billion to end a tax dispute with France.
That was according to a judge on Thursday (June 16).
The case centered on allegations first made in 2014 that the burger chain diverted profits made in France to other countries to pay lower taxes.
McDonald’s French headquarters were investigated as part of the probe.
Now the settlement allows it to avoid a trial.
The firm’s lawyers said it did not amount to a guilty plea.
They said it was just a decision to avoid a long and uncertain legal battle.
The payment will cover both fines and back taxes.
In a statement, McDonald’s said it had paid almost $2.3 billion in taxes to France over the period in question, and created almost 25,000 jobs.
The settlement is similar to a $1 billion accord reached by Google in 2019 to end a French case where it too was accused of shifting profits.
