The U.S. Department of Justice plans to bring criminal charges against Boeing for violating settlements related to two fatal crashes. 737 Max jetliner crashesAccording to a report from Bloomberg and ReutersThe federal government is reportedly seeking a guilty plea from Boeing, which could include a $243.6 million fine and require the company to appoint an independent compliance monitor.
Boeing’s settlement with the Justice Department comes after the 2017 crash in Indonesia that killed all 189 people on board, and the 2018 crash in Ethiopia that killed all 157 people on board. Despite opposition Boeing has received complaints from lawmakers and the families of those killed in the crash. Wins $2.5 billion settlement The settlement, reached in 2021, temporarily shielded the plane maker from criminal prosecution. The Justice Department said at the time that the agreement required the plane maker to report evidence and suspicions of fraud and “enhance its compliance programs.”
Then, in January, a review board rejected a Boeing plane operated by Alaska Airlines, as the airline continued to expose safety and compliance issues. Four months later, the federal government said in a court filing that Boeing Violated the 2021 agreement For failing to “design, implement, and enforce a compliance and ethics program to prevent and detect violations of U.S. fraud laws throughout its operations.”
According to multiple reports, the Department of Justice has decided to file criminal charges against Boeing and wants the company to accept a plea deal, which Bloomberg reports would include an additional $250 million in fines and could force Boeing to bring in an independent monitor to make sure the company complies with anti-fraud laws. AP News.
The Justice Department said it would inform families and lawyers of the 737 Max crash victims about the plea deal on Sunday and give Boeing a week to decide whether to accept the offer or argue its case in court, according to the report. Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.
