Criminal charges recommended against Boeing

US prosecutors have recommended that the Department of Justice (DoJ) bring criminal charges against Boeing. This recommendation follows a claim by the DoJ that Boeing violated a settlement related to two fatal crashes involving its 737 Max aircraft, which resulted in the deaths of 346 people. When contacted by the BBC, Boeing declined to comment but has previously denied violating the deferred prosecution agreement. The DoJ has until July 7 to make a final decision on whether to prosecute the company. The DoJ has also declined to comment on the matter. According to CBS, the BBC's US partner, the recommendation is not a final decision, and the details of any potential criminal action are not yet known. 'This is a really critical decision that is coming up,' said Ed Pierson, the executive director of the Foundation for Aviation Safety and a former senior manager at Boeing. He told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme: 'There are issues with these aeroplanes. We’re seeing problems with these planes, and I’m talking about 737 Max, 787, and it is reflective of the leadership. ' The plane crashes, both involving Boeing's 737 Max aircraft, occurred within six months of each other. The first crash involved Indonesia's Lion Air in October 2018, followed by an Ethiopian Airlines flight in March 2019. Last week, relatives of the victims urged prosecutors to seek a fine against Boeing of $25bn (£14. 6bn) and to pursue a criminal prosecution. Under a deal reached in 2021, Boeing agreed to pay a $2. 5bn settlement, and prosecutors agreed to ask the court to drop a criminal charge after three years if the company abided by certain stipulations set out in the deferred prosecution agreement. However, last month, the DoJ stated that Boeing was in breach of the deal, claiming that the company had failed to 'design, implement, and enforce a compliance and ethics program to prevent and detect violations of the US fraud laws throughout its operations. ' Boeing chief executive Dave Calhoun testified before Congress this week. Last week, Mr. Calhoun stated that the company had 'learned' from past mistakes and that the process for employee whistleblowers 'works,' but lawmakers still accused him of not doing enough to rectify a culture of retaliation. As part of an ongoing investigation, Boeing whistleblowers told the Senate in April that the 737 Max, the 787 Dreamliner, and the 777 models had serious production issues. The company was most recently put in the spotlight when Mr. Calhoun announced he would be stepping down as chief executive at the end of 2024 after less than five years in the role, with a pay package worth $33m. He will also remain on Boeing's board. Mr. Calhoun took over the job from Dennis Muilenburg, who was fired after the two crashes. Mr. Pearson commented that the changes at the top of Boeing were 'superficial,' noting that even when Mr. Calhoun was named as chief executive in 2019, he had already been at the company for a decade. 'They are making those decisions that are affecting millions and millions of people for many, many years,' he said.