On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed the finalized plea deal with Boeing, which involves the company pleading guilty to a felony charge of defrauding the government.

Boeing will pay a $243.6 million fine and admitted to misleading the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding the 737 Max plane’s passenger certification.

The plea deal, pending a federal judge’s approval, also requires Boeing’s board to meet with crash victims’ families within four months and invest at least $455 million into safety and compliance programs.

Critics, including victims’ families, have condemned the deal as too lenient compared to the $24.8 billion in damages they sought.

Boeing had already paid part of the fine in a previous 2021 agreement, CNN has reported.

The company’s reputation has been further tarnished by ongoing safety concerns, including a recent incident involving a 737 Max jet.

Written by B.C. Begley