Families of the 346 victims of the Boeing 737 MAX crashes are challenging a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) proposal to shield Boeing from criminal prosecution.
The crashes—Lion Air Flight 610 in 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in 2019—were linked to a flawed flight control system, sparking global outrage.
Now, the DOJ’s tentative non-prosecution agreement, presented on May 16, 2025, has reignited the families’ fight.
They call it a “sweetheart deal” that lets Boeing evade accountability for what they label the “deadliest corporate crime in U.S. history.”
Letting Boeing Off the Hook
The DOJ’s plan offers Boeing a way out of prosecution for breaching a 2021 Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA). That earlier deal, struck after Boeing misled regulators about the 737 MAX’s safety, included a $2.5 billion settlement but no jail time.
When Boeing failed to improve its compliance program—evidenced by a 2024 Alaska Airlines door plug blowout—the DOJ could have pursued a trial.
Instead, it proposed Boeing pay $444.5 million more to a victims’ fund, invest $455 million in safety, hire a compliance consultant, and meet with families. In return, charges would be dropped.
The families, backed by lawyers like Paul Cassell and Erin Applebaum, are understandably furious. They argue the deal fails to hold Boeing or its executives accountable for 346 deaths.
Cassell, a former federal judge, said, “This deal dishonors the victims’ memories.” Applebaum called it “a charade” that lets the powerful “buy their way out.”
Families like Nadia Milleron, who lost her daughter, and Ike and Susan Riffel, who lost two sons, see the fund as an attempt to “buy them off.” They demand a public trial and a fine up to $24.78 billion, far above the DOJ’s offer.
Building on a 2022 Ruling
Their fight builds on a 2022 ruling by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, who found the DOJ violated victims’ rights by excluding them from the 2021 DPA talks. O’Connor also rejected a 2024 Boeing plea deal, citing flaws like a diversity clause for selecting a monitor.
Now, the families have until May 22, 2025, to file objections to the new agreement. They hope O’Connor will again side with them and force a trial, exposing Boeing’s misconduct fully.
Public sentiment generally echoes the outrage, highlighting the injustice of letting Boeing off lightly. The families’ lawyers say that Boeing’s persistent safety failures show it cannot be trusted to self-monitor.
A consultant, they say, is no substitute for a court-appointed overseer.
As the DOJ weighs its next move, the families remain steadfast. They want justice, not just money. A trial could establish a benchmark for corporate accountability, preventing tragedies like the 737 MAX crashes from recurring.
With O’Connor’s decision looming, all eyes are on the outcome, to see if Boeing will finally face the consequences of its actions, or if justice will be deferred again.
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