Boeing, Justice Department reach deal to avoid prosecution over deadly 737 Max crashes

Core Points - The U.S. Justice Department has reached a non-prosecution agreement with Boeing regarding the crashes of its 737 Max planes, allowing the company to avoid being labeled a felon and trial [2][4] - The agreement is seen as a fair resolution that serves the public interest, providing accountability and benefits from Boeing while avoiding litigation risks [2][4] - Boeing has faced criticism from families of crash victims for previous agreements, which they viewed as lenient, and have called for more accountability from the company [4] Financial Implications - Under a previous deal in 2021, Boeing paid a total of $2.51 billion to avoid prosecution, which included a$243.6 million criminal penalty, a $500 million fund for crash victims' families, and$1.77 billion for airline customers [5] Industry Context - The crashes of the 737 Max, including incidents involving Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines, led to the grounding of the aircraft worldwide for nearly two years, impacting Boeing's market position and allowing competitors like Airbus to gain an advantage [3]