McDonald's French Headquarters Searched in Tax Probe

PARIS—French police raided McDonald's France headquarters last week in connection to a tax fraud probe, making the fast food chain the latest U.S. company to come under renewed fire in France for the way it pays its taxes.

Police officers from a unit fighting corruption and financial crime took part in the raid, which targeted McDonald's France headquarters in Guyancourt, west of Paris.

A police officer said documents and computers were seized during the raid.

"McDonald's France can confirm that a search took place at the company headquarters on 18 May 2016," a McDonald's spokesperson said. "McDonald's is cooperating fully with the authorities on this matter."

News of the raid comes after dozens of tax investigators swooped into Google's French headquarters on Tuesday in a surprise raid, escalating a tax dispute in which French authorities have sought more than €1 billion ($1.11 billion) from the search firm.

McDonald's is relatively popular in France and had more than 1,285 restaurants across the country at the end of 2013, according to the company's French website.

Inti Ladauro contributed to this article.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 26, 2016 12:55 ET (16:55 GMT)

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