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The U.S. Department of Justice urges Boeing Co.NYSE:BAThe aerospace giant pleaded guilty to a criminal charge after it was found to have violated a settlement agreement involving 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people, Reuters reported on Sunday. Two people familiar with the matter.
The federal agency is expected to formally offer Boeing a plea deal later in the day, according to reports. Spokespersons for the company and the Justice Department declined to comment to Reuters for this story.
Justice Department officials explained their decision to families of crash victims in a phone call early Sunday.
The agreement would require Boeing to plead guilty to conspiracy to defraud the Federal Aviation Administration in connection with the fatal crash. The company will also insist on setting up an independent watchdog to conduct a three-year audit of Boeing Co’s (BA) safety and compliance practices, Reuters reported.
Justice Department officials plan to ask Boeing to respond to the proposal by the end of the week. Reuters reports that prosecutors plan to put the company on trial if it refuses to plead guilty.
