Prosecutors are recommending the U.S. Department of Justice file criminal charges against Boeing for allegedly violating a settlement related to two fatal crashes that killed hundreds, according to a new report.
The bereaved families of the plane crash victims have been pressing the Justice Department to prosecute and are asking U.S. authorities to fine the company nearly $25 billion.
Boeing escaped this fate in 2021 when it agreed to pay $2.5 billion to resolve one federal criminal charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States, deflecting prosecution. The company promised to submit regular reports on safety issues and to tighten its compliance practices.
The manufacturer had been charged with concealing issues that lead to crashes of two 737 Max planes, one in Indonesia and one in Ethiopia, that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019.
Now, prosecutors themselves are reportedly joining the push to press charges, Reuters reported Sunday, citing two people familiar with the situation. Boeing did not comment but has insisted throughout that it honored the agreement’s terms and told Congress last week that it is working to improve safety and compliance.
The sources told Reuters that the Justice Department is still debating the issue internally and that there was still no guarantee that Boeing would actually be charged. The department has until July 7 to decide. The Justice Department also did not comment.
The increased scrutiny comes in the wake of an Alaska Airlines incident earlier this year, when a door plug blew off midflight, forcing an emergency landing. No one was injured, but a teen was nearly sucked out of the plane, and some passengers are suing. During subsequent inspection, loose bolts were found on the craft.
With News Wire Services
