Boeing faces possible criminal indictment
3 Min Read
The DOJ accused Boeing of violating a 2021 agreement over claims that the firm deceived federal aviation regulators in connection with fatal 737 MAX airplane accidents in 2018 and 2019.
-
An airplane flies over a Boeing 737 delivery center in Seattle, on October 19, 2015 (AP)
According to Reuters, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) is exploring a criminal prosecution of aerospace giant Boeing for allegedly breaking the conditions of a 2021 settlement that exempted the corporation from penalties in connection with 346 fatal airplane accidents.
Prosecutors had urged senior DOJ officials to file charges against Boeing, citing anonymous sources. The decision on whether to prosecute the firm is coming on July 7.
The DOJ said in a court filing last month that Boeing violated a 2021 agreement over claims that the firm deceived federal aviation regulators in connection with fatal 737 MAX airplane accidents in 2018 and 2019. According to the deal, the aircraft manufacturer avoided prosecution by agreeing to pay a $2.5 billion fine and establish new compliance and ethical processes to prevent breaches of US fraud laws.
Boeing claimed it had followed the provisions of the 2021 agreement. However, the firm has seen a string of safety mishaps in recent months, including an in-flight door panel burst on a 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines.
The Alaska incident happened only two days before the DOJ settlement was slated to expire. Prosecutors had previously agreed to pursue a formal dismissal of the deferred fraud allegation as long as Boeing followed the conditions of the agreement for three years.
Aside from legal compliance difficulties, Boeing failed a government safety examination of its production methods following the airborne door rupture. The New York Times reported in March that Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors discovered scores of quality-control flaws, including the use of dish soap and a hotel key card as substitute tools. The FAA has initiated an investigation into the suspected fabrication of inspection records at a Boeing facility in South Carolina.
The DOJ has not made a final decision on whether to charge Boeing, and internal conversations are ongoing, according to Reuters. Potential charges might be beyond the boundaries of the 2021 fraud settlement. One of the individuals stated that additional alternatives include extending the prior settlement deal or demanding tougher compliance.
Last Monday, relatives of the 737 MAX accident victims requested the DOJ to pursue criminal charges and a $24.8 billion punishment against the firm.
On May 7, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated that it was "investigating whether Boeing completed the inspections and whether company employees may have falsified aircraft records."
Scott Stocker, the Boeing official in charge of the 787 programs, stated in an internal document obtained by The Guardian that the issue was reported by an employee and was a case of "misconduct", but not "an immediate safety of flight issue."
