Boeing Faces Criminal Charges Over Fatal Crashes
July 2, 2024, 9:55 pm
Location: United States, Illinois, Chicago
Employees: 10001+
Founded date: 1916
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The US Justice Department is on the brink of criminally charging Boeing for fraudulent activities in connection to two tragic crashes involving 737 MAX jets. Sources close to the matter have revealed that Boeing will be given the ultimatum to either plead guilty or face a trial. The crashes of Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines flights in 2018 and 2019, respectively, resulted in the devastating loss of 346 lives.
The Justice Department is adamant about pushing Boeing to admit guilt, and as part of the proposed offer, the company would be subjected to a financial penalty and the imposition of an independent monitor to oversee and audit their safety and compliance practices for a period of three years. Family members of the victims from the crashes are vehemently advocating for a criminal trial and a substantial fine to be levied against Boeing.
Should Boeing choose to reject the plea offer, the Justice Department is prepared to move forward with a trial in the matter. The plea deal being presented would prevent a US District Judge from increasing Boeing's sentence in the event of a conviction. However, some families affected by the crashes are considering petitioning the judge to reject the deal if Boeing agrees to it.
In a previous settlement in 2021, Boeing paid a hefty fine of US$244 million as part of an agreement to resolve the original fraud charge. It is anticipated that the Justice Department will seek a similar penalty as part of the new plea offer. Notably, there has been no indication from the Justice Department regarding the prosecution of any current or former Boeing executives, a demand long sought after by the families of the victims.
The potential implications of a plea deal on other ongoing investigations into Boeing, including those stemming from incidents such as the blowout of a panel from the side of a Boeing Max 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight, remain uncertain. The situation continues to evolve, and further updates on this critical development will be provided as they unfold.
The Justice Department is adamant about pushing Boeing to admit guilt, and as part of the proposed offer, the company would be subjected to a financial penalty and the imposition of an independent monitor to oversee and audit their safety and compliance practices for a period of three years. Family members of the victims from the crashes are vehemently advocating for a criminal trial and a substantial fine to be levied against Boeing.
Should Boeing choose to reject the plea offer, the Justice Department is prepared to move forward with a trial in the matter. The plea deal being presented would prevent a US District Judge from increasing Boeing's sentence in the event of a conviction. However, some families affected by the crashes are considering petitioning the judge to reject the deal if Boeing agrees to it.
In a previous settlement in 2021, Boeing paid a hefty fine of US$244 million as part of an agreement to resolve the original fraud charge. It is anticipated that the Justice Department will seek a similar penalty as part of the new plea offer. Notably, there has been no indication from the Justice Department regarding the prosecution of any current or former Boeing executives, a demand long sought after by the families of the victims.
The potential implications of a plea deal on other ongoing investigations into Boeing, including those stemming from incidents such as the blowout of a panel from the side of a Boeing Max 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight, remain uncertain. The situation continues to evolve, and further updates on this critical development will be provided as they unfold.