DOJ says ‘substantial progress' made toward final plea agreement with Boeing but needs more time

The Justice Department announced that it is close to finalizing an agreement with Boeing regarding the company’s guilty plea for defrauding the US government. Although substantial progress has been made, more time is needed to sort out remaining details. Boeing had previously agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States in connection with two fatal 737 Max crashes. The agreement helps Boeing avoid potentially severe consequences. The finalizing of the agreement, initially scheduled for Friday, has been delayed until next week. The families of crash victims, who had wanted Boeing to pay significantly more in fines, are opposed to the deal.