Tue Mar 25 21:42:03 UTC 2025: **Boeing Faces June Trial in 737 MAX Criminal Case**
**Fort Worth, TX** – A US judge has unexpectedly set a June 23 trial date for Boeing in the Department of Justice’s criminal fraud case related to the 737 MAX crashes. This comes after Judge Reed O’Connor rejected a previous plea deal in which Boeing agreed to plead guilty to criminal fraud conspiracy and pay a $487.2 million fine. The judge previously described Boeing’s actions as potentially “the deadliest corporate crime in US history.”
Boeing is reportedly seeking to withdraw the existing plea agreement, while maintaining that they are engaged in “good faith discussions” with the Justice Department to reach a resolution. The rejected deal included a $455 million commitment to safety improvements and three years of court supervision.
Relatives of the 346 victims of the two 737 MAX crashes, which occurred in 2018 and 2019, have criticized the proposed plea deal as insufficiently holding Boeing accountable. They are pushing for a full prosecution. One lawyer representing victims’ families urged the Justice Department to “reject any further plea negotiations and move forward with a full prosecution,” stating that the families “deserve their day in court.”
The Justice Department’s decision to pursue criminal charges followed a violation of a 2021 agreement that had previously shielded Boeing from prosecution, and recent safety concerns highlighted by incidents such as a January 2024 in-flight door panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines jet. Government officials have called for stricter oversight of Boeing following a string of safety issues. The upcoming trial will determine the final outcome of this significant case.
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