Boeing to Plead Guilty to Fraud in 737 Max Crash Cases
The US aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, is willing to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud in the case of two crashes involving 737 Max planes. This decision comes in an attempt to avoid further investigations by the Department of Justice, as detailed in a document submitted by the Department of Justice to a federal court in Texas on Sunday evening. The proposed agreement stipulates that Boeing would have to pay a hefty fine of $243.6 million upon approval by a federal judge. If accepted, Boeing would be convicted of a serious crime. Admitting guilt also poses the risk of losing out on additional lucrative government contracts, such as those from the Department of Defense or NASA. However, by avoiding a trial, Boeing can prevent many corporate decisions contributing to the crashes from facing extensive public scrutiny. A spokesperson for Boeing has confirmed a preliminary agreement with the Department of Justice regarding the terms of resolution. The charges in question stem from the crashes of 737 Max aircraft in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019, resulting in the tragic loss of 346 lives over five months. The families of the victims have demanded that Boeing be held criminally accountable for the incidents.
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