Boeing has pleaded guilty to fraud in the 737 MAX investigation.
According to Reuters, the agreement, which requires a judge's approval, would make the planemaker a "convicted criminal" for plane crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia (2018 and 2019) that killed 346 people. The company will commit to pay 243 million dollars and invest 455 million dollars in the next three years. Boeing's settlement with the US Department of Justice drew sharp criticism from victims' families, who wanted more brutal financial consequences for Boeing. Meanwhile, as Reuters notes, the guilty plea potentially jeopardizes the company's ability to win lucrative government contracts with organizations such as the US Department of Defense and NASA.
