If the settlement is approved by a judge, the company must pay an additional $244 million in fines to complete the investigation.
American aviation corporation Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to a criminal charge in connection with two Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2019 and 2018. The plane crash killed 346 people, Reuters reported on last day, July 7.
The aircraft manufacturer has admitted that it deliberately misled relevant regulators about problems with the aircraft.
The company must pay a $244 million fine to resolve an investigation by the US Department of Justice.
In May, the company was found to have violated a 2021 agreement that protects Boeing from criminal charges of conspiracy to defraud in connection with two plane crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.
The settlement drew immediate criticism from the victims’ families, who wanted Boeing to go to trial and face harsher financial consequences.
At the same time, a guilty plea threatens the company’s ability to enter into lucrative government contracts, especially with organizations like the Pentagon and NASA.
Under the terms, the company agreed to spend at least $455 million over three years to strengthen security programs.
The Justice Department and Boeing are now working to document the full plea agreement in writing and file it in federal court in Texas on July 19, the court filing said.
As you know, the operation of the Boeing 737 MAX was suspended after two crashes that killed 346 people. The company’s management admitted that in both cases there was a malfunction of the maneuverability enhancement system on board the aircraft.
Later, new weaknesses were found in the aircraft, but the 737 MAX model was promised to be returned to the skies in June-July 2020. It was also reported that problems with the scandalous airliner cost Boeing almost $20 billion.
Source: korrespondent
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