Boeing executives unlikely to be charged over 737 MAX crashes: report

Boeing executives are unlikely to face criminal charges over deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people because the statute of limitations has likely passed, U.S. Justice Department officials told family members of the victims at a meeting.

The details were corroborated by a person familiar with Friday’s meeting and correspondence reviewed by Reuters.

The statute of limitations for prosecuting most federal crimes is five years.

The Justice Department found in mid-May that Boeing violated a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) that shielded the company from criminal prosecution stemming from the fatal crashes.

The officials agreed to ask a judge to dismiss the charge of conspiracy to defraud the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as long as Boeing complies with the terms of the settlement over a three-year period that ends on January 7, 2024.

But an in-flight explosion two days before the deal expired exposed safety and quality issues. A panel exploded on a new Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane during an Alaska Airlines flight on January 5.

Boeing has until June 13 to outline any disagreement with the department’s finding that it violated the 2021 agreement.

Officials have until July 7 to inform a federal judge in Texas of their plans.

Boeing said it believes it has “honored the terms of the settlement” and looks forward to responding to the Justice Department.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The department is weighing several options, including whether to sue Boeing or extend the DPA by a year. Officials may also enter into a new APD or reach a non-prosecution agreement that does not involve court supervision.

Officials could also try to negotiate a plea deal with Boeing on the fraud charge in 2021 or take the company to court over it.

Boeing could also face charges for its conduct during the DPA’s three-year tenure, although officials have found no evidence of any wrongdoing during that time, prosecutors told the victims’ families, according to the source familiar with the meeting.

Family members of the victims are discussing asking officials to seek an increased sentence if Boeing is prosecuted and convicted, the source told Reuters.

At the meeting, Justice Department officials said they believed they were unable to prove cases of wrongful death or federal fraud involving aircraft parts beyond a reasonable doubt, the person added.