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2h ago

Judge Weighs DOJ Bid to Drop Boeing Fraud Case Under New $1.1 Billion Deal

Prosecutors seek dismissal under a $1.1 billion deal requiring penalties, safety upgrades, plus an option to refile if Boeing breaches.

Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are assembled at the company’s plant in Renton, Washington, U.S. June 25, 2024. Jennifer Buchanan/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
FILE - A Boeing 737 Max jet prepares to land at Boeing Field following a test flight in Seattle, Sept. 30, 2020. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
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Overview

  • U.S. District Chief Judge Reed O’Connor is holding a Fort Worth hearing on the Justice Department’s motion to dismiss the felony conspiracy charge tied to the 737 Max crashes.
  • Relatives from several countries will address the court, with about 30 family members asking the judge to reject dismissal and to appoint a special prosecutor.
  • The government points to a non‑prosecution agreement that commits Boeing to roughly $1.1 billion for fines, compensation to families, and safety and quality measures, with the charge eligible to be refiled if the company breaches obligations over two years.
  • Justice Department lawyers say families of 110 victims either support or do not oppose the agreement and argue the court may block dismissal only on a showing of prosecutorial bad faith.
  • The case centers on Boeing’s concealment of MCAS changes linked to the 2018–2019 crashes that killed 346 people, and the judge previously rejected a guilty‑plea deal in December 2024 over concerns about how DEI policies could affect selection of an independent monitor.