Boeing pleads guilty to criminal fraud charge

Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud conspiracy charge and pay a $243.6m fine after the US found it violated a reform deal following two fatal 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people.

This plea avoids a criminal trial, disappointing victims' families who sought full accountability.

The 2018 and 2019 crashes led to the global grounding of the 737 Max. In 2021, Boeing was charged with defrauding regulators about its MCAS system but avoided prosecution by agreeing to pay $2.5bn and improve safety.

Critics argue Boeing’s guilty plea and fine are insufficient for the severity of its misconduct.