Company accused of violations including Chinese employees improperly downloading files relating to Pentagon programs
Boeing said on Thursday it had reached a $51m settlement with the US state department for numerous export violations including Chinese employees in China improperly downloading documents related to US Pentagon programs.
The state department said from 2013 through 2017 three Chinese employees at Boeing facilities in China downloaded technical data involving programs including the F-18, F-15 and F-22 fighter jets, the E-3 airborne warning and control system, the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter and the AGM84E cruise missile.
Boeing said there were additional unauthorized downloads of technical data at Boeing and partner facilities in 18 countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Morocco, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Taiwan, Ukraine and the United Kingdom from 2013 to 2018.
Of course it’s a choice, it’s a settlement. They could’ve refused and gone to court, where they probably would’ve ended up paying a lot more in fines (and legal fees)