Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud conspiracy charge and pay a $243.6 million fine to resolve a U.S. Justice Department investigation into two fatal 737 MAX crashes, according to a court filing on Sunday. The plea deal, pending judge approval, would label Boeing a convicted felon for the 2018 and 2019 crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people. Victims' families criticized the settlement, wanting a trial and harsher penalties for Boeing.
The DOJ's push to charge Boeing exacerbates the crisis the company has faced since a separate January incident revealed ongoing safety and quality issues. A guilty plea could jeopardize Boeing's ability to secure government contracts with entities like the U.S. Defense Department and NASA, though waivers could be sought.
As part of the deal, Boeing will invest at least $455 million over the next three years to enhance safety and compliance programs. The company's board will also meet with the relatives of the MAX crash victims. An independent monitor will oversee Boeing's compliance and publicly file annual progress reports during the three-year probation period.
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