Boeing Settles with Justice Department Over Fatal Crashes

Boeing has come to an agreement with the Justice Department regarding two major crashes involving the 737 aircraft that led to the deaths of 346 individuals.

On Friday, a court filing indicated that Boeing will be making “payments or investments” totaling over $1.1 billion. This amount includes $487.2 million in criminal fines, $445 million allocated for the families of the crash victims, and another $445 million intended for compliance, safety, and quality initiatives.

“While there’s nothing that can truly make up for the victims’ losses, this resolution will hold Boeing financially accountable, provide closure and compensation to families, and ultimately affect the safety standards of future air travel,” the DOJ expressed.

This deal means Boeing will avoid prosecution related to the deadly crashes that occurred in 2018 and 2019.

The DOJ stated that they believe this settlement represents a legitimate conclusion with practical benefits in terms of applying fact, law, and industry regulations.

Paul Cassell, an attorney for several victims’ families, remarked, “While the DOJ has proposed various fines and payments to the families, those I represent feel it’s more critical for Boeing to be held accountable to the public for these incidents.” He described the arrangement as “unprecedented” and criticized it as inappropriate for what he deemed the “most deadly corporate crime in U.S. history.”

In his comments, Cassell indicated that his clients intend to contest any non-promotional agreements.

In July, Boeing had already agreed to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge for defrauding the Federal Aviation Administration after misleading the agency’s aircraft evaluation team.

Boeing has not responded to requests for further comment regarding this matter.