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Almost exactly one year after a billion dollar fine against Airbus, competitor Boeing now has to pay billions for criminal offenses.

While the Europeans were due $ 3.9 billion for fraud and corruption in the sale of aircraft, the US corporation paid $ 2.5 billion in connection with fraud and deception in the approval of the 737Max model. 

Shortly before the end of the administration of US President Donald Trump, the Boeing company has now reached an agreement with the US Department of Justice on the billions. 

The largest US aircraft company is accused of having deceived the licensing authorities and endangering air traffic safety, which led to the crash of two 737Max models with a total of 346 deaths in 2018/2019.

The US Department of Justice has now announced the agreement with Boeing.

The Ministry refers to the criminal activities of the group and speaks of a "conspiracy to fraud" by the US aviation safety authority FAA in order to obtain approval of the 737Max model.

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The US group wanted to have the 737Max model approved as quickly as possible so as not to lose touch with its competitor Airbus with its A320 family. 

The agreement that has now been reached between Boeing and the US Department of Justice is, in the legal sense, a “Deferred Prosecution Agreement” (DPA), a mixture of probation and settlement.

Boeing is thus avoiding classic criminal proceedings because the US company practically admits its guilt.

Airbus had also reached a DPA with the law enforcement authorities a year ago. 

In contrast to the Airbus agreement, the Boeing fine of 2.5 billion dollars only contains a small portion of 243.6 million dollars as the actual criminal fine.

$ 1.77 billion is to be paid for compensation to 737Max customers and $ 500 million for a fund for the survivors of the crash victims.

In the airline industry, the compensation paid to 737Max customers is seen as an indirect discount in order not to switch to the Airbus competition.  

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In the statement by the US Department of Justice, Boeing employees are accused of "fraudulent and misleading behavior".

There were half-truths in statements and omissions in the information.

The focus is on the function of the flight control system MCAS, which can trigger certain flight maneuvers and contributed to the two crashes of 737Max models through fatal "nose down" maneuvers.

Important information on the flight software was missing in the pilots' manuals.

The decision pulls Boeing “accountable for the criminal misconduct of its employees,” the reasoning said.

Boeing is also accused of delaying investigators for a long time.

In March 2019, the aviation safety authorities around the world issued a flight ban on the 737Max models, which was only lifted in the USA in December 2020.

Flight approval for the 737Max models with revised flight software is also expected in Europe shortly.

The agreement now reached with the US Department of Justice provides for a three-year probation period.