Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to a felony in a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), thus avoiding a criminal trial related to the two fatal crashes of its 737 MAX aircraft in 2018 and 2019. These crashes, which caused the deaths of over 340 people, were attributed to a defective maneuvering system that Boeing is accused of misrepresenting to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
As part of the agreement, Boeing will pay a $244 million fine, and the courts will decide the restitution for the victims’ families. The company will also be placed on probation under several strict conditions: the board must meet with the crash victims’ families upon request, Boeing must invest at least $455 million in compliance and safety programs, and an independent monitor will oversee the company for three years.
This settlement follows the DOJ’s findings that Boeing violated a deferred prosecution agreement from January 2021 by not implementing required fraud prevention measures. Boeing has been under increased scrutiny following a midair panel blowout in January that temporarily grounded a 737 MAX variant and caused a significant manufacturing slowdown.
The agreement, which is still pending final court approval expected by July 19, marks a critical step for Boeing as it seeks to recover from the 737 MAX crisis, which has severely affected its operations and reputation.
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