Boeing has reached a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, enabling the aerospace manufacturer to avoid criminal prosecution in connection with two deadly crashes involving its 737 Max aircraft. These crashes, which occurred in 2018 and 2019, resulted in the deaths of 346 people and led to a global grounding of the aircraft for nearly two years. The deal marks a significant development in a long-running legal and regulatory saga that has drawn intense scrutiny from victims’ families and the public.
The agreement, once finalized, will lead to the dismissal of the government’s case and spares Boeing the stigma of a felony conviction. The company will be required to pay or invest more than $1.1 billion under the deal. This figure includes a $487.2 million criminal fine, with $243.6 million credited from a previous agreement. Additionally, Boeing must contribute $444.5 million to a new fund for crash victims and allocate $445 million toward improving compliance, safety, and quality systems.
This latest move follows a 2021 settlement reached during the Trump administration, which shielded Boeing from prosecution for three years. Under that deal, Boeing paid a total of $2.51 billion, including penalties, compensation to crash victims, and reimbursements to airline customers. However, prosecutors later determined that Boeing violated the terms of that settlement by failing to implement a proper compliance and ethics program.
The new agreement comes after some victims’ families met with DOJ officials, expressing mixed reactions. While more than 110 family members supported resolving the case outside of court, others criticized the agreement, calling it inadequate and vowing to contest it. Their legal representatives argued that allowing Boeing to avoid trial sets a dangerous precedent for corporate accountability in cases involving public safety.
The Justice Department maintains the deal provides meaningful accountability while avoiding the uncertainty of a trial. Nonetheless, critics argue the resolution falls short of justice for the victims. Boeing has declined to comment on the matter. The judge overseeing the case will review the agreement in the coming days. Meanwhile, families of those lost in the crashes continue to push for full transparency and consequences for the decisions that led to the tragedy.
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