The DOJ is expected to have a written agreement with Boeing in place by the end of next week.<\/p>\n
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has struck a deal in principle with Boeing to allow it to avoid prosecution in a fraud case stemming from two fatal 737 MAX plane crashes that killed 346 people, a harsh blow to the families of the victims.<\/p>\n
Boeing will pay more than $1.1bn, including the fine and compensation to families, and more than $455m to strengthen the company\u2019s compliance, safety, and quality programmes, the DOJ said on Friday.<\/p>\n
The aircraft maker<\/a> also agreed to pay an additional $444.5m into a crash victims\u2019 fund that would be divided evenly per crash victim on top of an additional $243.6m fine.<\/p>\n \u201cBoeing must continue to improve the effectiveness of its anti-fraud compliance and ethics program and retain an independent compliance consultant,\u201d the DOJ said on Friday. \u201cWe are confident that this resolution is the most just outcome with practical benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n The agreement allows Boeing to avoid being branded a convicted felon<\/a> and is a blow to families who lost relatives in the crashes and had pressed prosecutors to take the US planemaker to trial. A lawyer for family members and two US senators had urged the DOJ not to abandon its prosecution, but the government quickly rejected the requests.<\/p>\n The DOJ expects to file the written agreement with Boeing by the end of next week. Boeing will no longer face oversight by an independent monitor under the agreement.<\/p>\n Boeing did not immediately comment.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n No more guilty plea<\/p>\n Boeing had reached a tentative non-prosecution agreement with the government on May 16, as first reported by the news agency Reuters.<\/p>\n The agreement would forestall a June 23 trial date the planemaker faces on a charge it misled US regulators about a crucial flight control system on the 737 MAX, its best-selling jet.<\/p>\n