Report: Criminal Charges Recommended Against Boeing

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Facts

• US prosecutors have recommended that the Dept. of Justice (DOJ) bring criminal charges against plane manufacturer Boeing, according to a Reuters report published Sunday.¹
• On Friday, the New York Times reported that Boeing is expected to avoid criminal prosecution for violating a 2021 settlement with the DOJ concerning fatal plane crashes in 2018 and 2019.²
• In 2021, Boeing agreed to pay $2.5B — some of which was to compensate victims' relatives and overhaul its safety standards. While the DOJ ruled that Boeing violated the settlement terms in May, criminal prosecution was reportedly considered too risky.³
• Glenn Leon, chief of the DOJ's fraud unit, disputed the Times' report, stating, 'The department has not made a decision on how to proceed or whether to pursue prosecution of Boeing.'⁴
• However, the two sources cited in Reuters' Sunday report maintained that discussions to resolve the DOJ's investigation are ongoing, and there's no guarantee it will move forward with criminal charges.¹
• This comes after families of the victims urged the DOJ to seek a fine of nearly $25B against Boeing and to pursue a criminal prosecution, arguing the company committed 'the deadliest corporate crime in US history.'⁵

Sources: ¹Reuters (a), ²New York Times, ³Guardian, ⁴Reuters (b) and ⁵The National.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Reuters. While prosecutors may recommend charges, Boeing didn't violate the 2021 agreement. Moreover, it has signed contracts with the US Department of Defense, and any conviction could jeopardize those deals. It's much more likely that the DOJ will give Boeing another deal with stricter terms.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Daily Mail. It looks like Boeing will finally face criminal prosecution for the two plane crashes that killed 346 people. After the DOJ found in May that Boeing had violated the terms of the 2021 settlement, not only are the original charges on the table again, but the DOJ may also introduce new ones. Boeing has gotten away with this for too long, and it's time the company is held guilty of its crimes.

Predictions