Boeing accepts “Sweetheart” Plea Deal

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As expected, Boeing accepted what is described as a “Sweetheart” plea deal

that resulted from its breach of the Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the Justice Department in 2021. That deal had Boeing not breached it with the serious Alaska Airlines door plug incident, leaving Boeing without further punishment for the two 737 MAX crashes.

This plea deal, in which Boeing pleaded guilty to a felony for defrauding the United States, resulted from the certification of the 737 MAX, where it hid the MCAS system, resulting in inadequate pilot training. This deal does not cover subsequent events, including the door plug incident, for which Boeing may still face civil and criminal charges should individuals with standing or the DOJ wish to bring them.

Under the agreement, no Boeing executives or employees will be charged with wrongdoing individually. The company will pay an additional fine of $243.5 million, the same as the initial sanctions. In addition, an independent monitor will be appointed to oversee Boeing’s quality and safety procedures for the next three years.

As expected, Boeing has accepted what has been described as a “Sweetheart” plea deal that resulted from its breach of the Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the Justice Department in 2021. That deal, had Boeing not breached it with the serious Alaska Airlines door plug incident, would have left Boeing without any further punishment for the two 737 MAX crashes.