Boeing under scrutiny: DOJ reconsiders charges after 737 Max tragedies

The U.S. Department of Justice is contemplating bringing charges against Boeing in connection with two catastrophes involving Boeing 737 Max planes that led to the loss of 346 lives in Indonesia and Ethiopia, according to the BBC.

The American department alleges that Boeing breached the terms of a 2021 agreement that shielded the company from potential criminal charges linked to aviation incidents. Boeing, however, refutes these allegations of violating the agreement. As highlighted by the AP news agency, the decision to formally charge Boeing rests with the U.S. Department of Justice.

Following the crashes of the 737 Max planes in 2018 and 2019, Boeing finalized a settlement with the Department of Justice in 2021. This agreement averted prosecution for charges related to misleading federal regulatory authorities.

Boeing attributed the fraudulent conduct to two lower-level employees. Nonetheless, according to the head of the Department of Justice's fraud section, in a letter to the court, Boeing failed to implement promised reforms that would have helped to avoid violations of federal regulations designed to prevent financial misconduct, thereby breaching the settlement.

This interpretation suggests that Boeing may now face prosecution for any violation of federal law known to the United States, including for fraud, an outcome the company had hoped to evade by settling—a stance the Justice Department upholds.

Boeing has expressed its eagerness to respond, maintaining that it has adhered to the settlement terms, as reported by the BBC. As part of the settlement conditions, Boeing paid 2.5 billion dollars.

Relatives of the victims are advocating for criminal charges against the corporation, viewing any such prosecution as "the first positive step."