Boeing agrees to plead guilty
Boeing agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud charge months after federal prosecutors alleged the planemaker violated a 2021 settlement that shielded it from prosecution.
Under the deal announced late Sunday, Boeing would pay a $243.6 million fine, install an independent compliance monitor for three years and invest at least $455 million in compliance and safety programs. The agreement needs to be approved by a federal judge before taking effect.
In 2021, Boeing reached a $2.5 billion settlement with the Justice Department over charges related to the fatal 737 Max crashes. That agreement included the original $243.6 million criminal fine, compensation to airlines and a $500 million fund for victims’ families. A lawyer for the victims’ family members said he plans to ask the federal judge on the case to reject the deal and set the matter for public trial.