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Boeing is nearing an agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to plead guilty to criminal charges stemming from two fatal 737 Max crashes that occurred in 2018 and 2019, according to attorneys representing the victims’ families.

The aerospace manufacturer is accused of violating a previous settlement related to these tragedies, which resulted in the deaths of 346 people. The crashes took place in Indonesia in October 2018 and Ethiopia in 2019.

In January 2021, the DOJ charged Boeing with conspiracy to defraud the United States, alleging that the company misled the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) during the evaluation of the 737 MAX aircraft.

Boeing agreed to a deferred prosecution agreement, committing to pay fines totaling $243.7 million, $1.77 billion in compensation to airline customers, and $500 million to the beneficiaries of the crash victims. Boeing also agreed to cooperate with the government and avoid committing any felony offenses, with the DOJ deferring criminal prosecution for three years.

In May, the DOJ asserted that Boeing had violated its obligations under the 2021 settlement. Now, the DOJ is proposing a new agreement, which would necessitate Boeing pleading guilty to conspiracy charges, paying a fine of approximately $200 million, agreeing to the appointment of an external corporate monitor, and remaining on probation for three years. This deal would prevent the need for a criminal trial.

The families of the crash victims have expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed plea deal, criticizing it for lacking accountability and an admission of conspiracy causing the deaths of 346 people.

Several whistleblowers have come forward warning of safety issues with Boeing aircraft, including John Barnett, who was found shot to death earlier this year. Barnett had warned, “If anything happens to me, it’s not suicide,” although his death was ruled as self-inflicted.