Boeing Clinches $1.1 B Settlement to Dodge 737 Max Fraud Trial

Boeing has struck a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Justice Department, steering clear of a criminal trial tied to two 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people. The pact requires the aerospace giant to pay or invest more than $1.1 billion: a $487 million criminal fine (half credited from a 2021 payment), $445 million for an expanded victims-compensation fund, and another $445 million to fortify safety, compliance and quality programs. Prosecutors say the deal delivers “substantial benefits” fast and avoids the risks of litigation.

Victims’ families are split. While the DOJ says over 110 relatives back a pre-trial resolution, many others denounce the agreement as a “sweetheart deal” that spares executives from the witness stand. Their lawyer vows to ask the judge to reject the settlement, calling it the deadliest corporate crime in U.S. history and warning it sets a precedent for large companies to buy their way out of accountability.

For Boeing, sidestepping a felony label removes a major overhang as it races to stabilize 737 Max production, win new jet orders and meet multibillion-dollar defense commitments. Yet the company still faces civil suits, ongoing regulatory scrutiny and the harder task of restoring public trust. Whether the court signs off—or victims’ objections gain traction—will decide if this long-running saga finally lands or spirals into another turbulent chapter.