Prosecutor recommends legal action against Boeing.
Following the tragic crashes of two Boeing 737-MAX jets that claimed the lives of 346 souls, it's alleged that Boeing struck a deal with the legal system to dodge fraud charges. However, it seems that Boeing didn't exactly adhere to the regulations. It seems a legal battle is looming.
According to insider info, the US prosecutors are supposedly suggesting the Department of Justice to press charges against Boeing. Reuters obtained this intel from two trustworthy sources.
In May, the Department of Justice found out that Boeing had flouted an agreement from 2021 regarding the crash of two 737 MAX jets. The Department of Justice has until July 7 to make a decision on prosecution. A rep from the Department of Justice declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.
As part of the 2021 agreement, Boeing forkled over $2.5 billion to avoid fraud charges with the US aviation regulatory body, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As part of the deal, Boeing was required to overhaul its compliance procedures and submit frequent reports. Sources suggest the prosecutors consider these conditions to be breached. Boeing, however, denies the accusations.
Push for $25 Billion Penalty
The families of the crash victims have requested the prosecutors to slap a $25 billion fine on Boeing. They also demanded that the government prosecute the Boeing employees who were in positions of authority during the crashes in 2018 and 2019, including the former CEO Dennis Muilenburg, as stated in a letter.
In total, 346 lives were lost in these accidents. The first crash took place in October 2018 when a Boeing 737 Max 8 from the Indonesian airline, Lion Air, nose-dived into the Java Sea. The second crash happened in March 2019, when a 737 Max 8 from Ethiopian Airlines crashed shortly after takeoff near Addis Ababa, nearly vertically onto the ground.
