Boeing to plead guilty to criminal fraud charge stemming from 737 Max crashes

Boeing will plead guilty to a criminal fraud charge tied to the 737 Max crashes, months after a near-catastrophe in January prompted the Justice Department to revisit a 2021 settlement that protected Boeing from prosecution.

The plea deal, outlined in a filing late Sunday, requires the approval of a federal judge. Under the deal, Boeing would pay a $243.6 million fine, equal to the amount it paid in the 2021 settlement.

“We can confirm that we have reached an agreement in principle on terms of a resolution with the Justice Department, subject to the memorialization and approval of specific terms,” Boeing said in a statement.

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