U.S. plans to seek guilty plea from Boeing over fatal 737 Max crashes

SUMMARY

U.S. prosecutors plan to seek a guilty plea from Boeing for misleading regulators during the development of the 737 Max, which is linked to two fatal crashes that killed 346 people. The Justice Department's decision follows a review of a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement where Boeing had agreed to pay $2.5 billion in fines and compensation. This agreement is under scrutiny after a recent incident in January, when a door panel blew out of a new 737 Max 9 mid-flight. The proposed plea deal would add a $247 million fine and require Boeing to install an external compliance monitor. Critics, including the victims' families, have labeled this deal a "slap on the wrist," arguing it fails to hold Boeing adequately accountable for the crashes.