Boeing will plead guilty to criminal charges over 737 Max crash, US government tells court

Boeing will plead guilty to criminal fraud charges in connection with the 737 Max jetliner tragedy. According to the US Justice Department, the corporation broke an agreement that insulated it from prosecution for more than three years. The government made its statement in court late Sunday night.

This week, federal prosecutors gave Boeing the option of pleading guilty and paying a fine as part of its penalty or facing trial on a criminal allegation of conspiracy to defraud the United States.

According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) document filed in federal court in Texas, Boeing would be required to pay an additional $243.6 million in fines under the plea agreement, which must still be approved by a federal judge before it can take effect.

The US Justice Department has said Boeing has also agreed to invest at least $455 million over the next three years to strengthen its safety and compliance programmes. The department will appoint a third-party monitor to oversee the firm's compliance. The monitor will have to publicly file annual reports on the company's progress with the court. A guilty plea would cause major damage to the company's reputation in securing lucrative government contracts with companies such as the US Department of Defense and NASA.