Boeing has reached an agreement in principle to plead guilty to defrauding the government and pay a significant fine, according to a court filing in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
The proposed plea agreement would result in a guilty plea from Boeing, which the Justice Department alleges violated a 2021 settlement. The company would also pay a $243.6 million fine and invest $455 million in improving its compliance and safety programs.
As part of the agreement, Boeing’s board of directors will meet with the families of the victims of the Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashes, which occurred in 2018 and 2019, respectively, and resulted in the deaths of 346 people.
The crashes, which involved the 737 Max 8 planes, have been the subject of intense scrutiny and criticism. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun publicly apologized to the victims and their families at a Senate hearing last month, saying the deaths were “gut-wrenching” and that he apologizes for the grief caused.
The proposed resolution comes as Boeing faces increased scrutiny over recent plane malfunctions. In January, a door blew out of an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 shortly after takeoff in Portland, Oregon. Although the incident did not result in any deaths, it has raised concerns about the company’s safety record and led to calls for greater oversight and investigation.
Boeing has confirmed the agreement in principle, but said it will defer to the Justice Department for further information.
