Boeing agrees to plead guilty to defrauding US regulators but escapes punishment sought by victims’ families

Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to one charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States and potentially pay up to $487 million in fines to avoid prosecution, the Justice Department said in a court filing Sunday evening.

But that fine is a fraction of the $24.8 billion that families of crash victims wanted the aircraft maker to pay. The families of victims of two fatal crashes of the 737 Max oppose the deal, the department said.

This is a developing story and will be updated.