US judge to rule on Boeing plea deal

BTN News
Saturday, 13 July 2024

US plane maker Boeing says it will plead guilty to a criminal fraud charge linked to the deadly crashes of two 737 MAX jets in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people after the US government said it had violated an agreement that protected it from prosecution.


Federal prosecutors had given Boeing the choice of entering a guilty plea and paying a fine as part of its sentence, or facing a trial on the felony criminal charge of conspiracy to defraud the US.

The plea deal - which still has to be approved by a federal judge - means Boeing will pay an additional US$243.6 million fine and invest at least US$455 million over the next three years to strengthen its safety and compliance programs.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) also will appoint a third-party monitor to oversee the firm's compliance. 
Prosecutors had accused Boeing of deceiving the regulators who approved the MAX and pilot training for it.
The plea deal covers wrongdoing by Boeing before the two crashes, which killed all passengers and crew aboard two new MAX jets. 

It does not cover other incidents including a panel that fell off a MAX jetliner during an Alaska Airlines flight in January.

The judge overseeing the case can accept the plea and the punishment that goes with it or reject the agreement.

Relatives of those who died in the crashes have been briefed on the plea offer and have said they want the judge to reject it.

US judge to rule on Boeing plea deal

BTN News
Saturday, 13 July 2024

US plane maker Boeing says it will plead guilty to a criminal fraud charge linked to the deadly crashes of two 737 MAX jets in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people after the US government said it had violated an agreement that protected it from prosecution.


Federal prosecutors had given Boeing the choice of entering a guilty plea and paying a fine as part of its sentence, or facing a trial on the felony criminal charge of conspiracy to defraud the US.

The plea deal - which still has to be approved by a federal judge - means Boeing will pay an additional US$243.6 million fine and invest at least US$455 million over the next three years to strengthen its safety and compliance programs.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) also will appoint a third-party monitor to oversee the firm's compliance. 
Prosecutors had accused Boeing of deceiving the regulators who approved the MAX and pilot training for it.
The plea deal covers wrongdoing by Boeing before the two crashes, which killed all passengers and crew aboard two new MAX jets. 

It does not cover other incidents including a panel that fell off a MAX jetliner during an Alaska Airlines flight in January.

The judge overseeing the case can accept the plea and the punishment that goes with it or reject the agreement.

Relatives of those who died in the crashes have been briefed on the plea offer and have said they want the judge to reject it.