The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is defending a plea deal with Boeing regarding the fatal crashes of 737 Max planes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people, arguing that it has insufficient evidence to pursue more serious charges. Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud, pay a $243.6 million fine, and invest $455 million in compliance improvements. Families of the victims have expressed dissatisfaction with the deal, claiming it does not adequately hold Boeing accountable for the deaths, and they have requested that the federal judge reject the agreement. The DOJ maintains that the settlement is in the public interest and reflects the most serious, provable offense. The plea deal requires judicial approval and includes provisions for an independent corporate monitor for three years. If the deal is rejected, the DOJ has indicated it would still pursue the same conspiracy charges against Boeing without additional evidence about the crashes.