Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud conspiracy charge.
The US Department of Justice (DoJ) found the company in violation of a reform deal following two fatal 737 Max crashes that killed 346 passengers and crew.
The deal was criticized by the families of the victims who called it a “sweetheart deal”.
Boeing To Pay $243.6 million
The Department of Justice stated that Boeing will also pay a criminal fine of $243.6 million.
The settlement still requires approval from a US judge. By pleading guilty, Boeing will avoid a criminal trial, which the victims’ families have been advocating for years.
The company has faced a crisis over its safety record since two near-identical 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019 led to the global grounding of the aircraft for over a year.
Victims’ families said that the deal would allow Boeing to avoid full accountability.
