Ike and Susan Riffel take a well-planned trip in Alaska, stopping occasionally to place stickers encouraging people to "Live Riffully."
The California pair is doing this in remembrance of their kids Melvin and Bennett, who passed away in 2019 as a result of a Boeing 737 Max airliner tragedy in Ethiopia.
Families Await DOJ Decision on Charges Against Boeing
The families of the Riffels and other passengers who perished in this crash and another one similar to it that occurred in Indonesia a little over four months ago are waiting to find out any day now whether the US Justice Department will bring charges against Boeing for the two tragedies, which claimed 346 lives.
Ike Riffel is worried that the government may use a legal instrument known as a deferred prosecution agreement, or DPA, to give Boeing another chance at corporate probation rather than putting the corporation on trial or that the prosecution will allow Boeing to enter a guilty plea to avoid going to trial, AP reported.
Prosecutors agreed an arrangement that meant the sole criminal case against Boeing might be withdrawn in three years, but the Justice Department accused the company of fraud for deceiving regulators who approved the Max.
Families Feel Misled by DOJ on Boeing Criminal Investigation
Ike and his spouse feel that the Justice Department, which had up until that point denied any criminal investigation was underway, misled them. Riffel claims that Boeing has never gotten in touch with the family. He believes that is based on legal counsel from the company.
Following its announcement last month that Boeing had violated the terms of the 2021 agreement, the Justice Department raised the possibility of prosecuting the firm. The alleged infractions were not disclosed by the DOJ.
Boeing claims to have complied with the terms of the agreement, which included, among other things, paying $2.5 billion, the majority of which went to the company's airline customers, and maintaining a program to identify and stop violations of US anti-fraud laws.
According to 8News, the decision that Washington is still debating affects family members everywhere. Meeting with a few of the other Flight 302 passengers' families has given the Riffels purpose and strength. They have collectively put pressure on Congress, the FAA, and the Justice Department to ensure that aircraft are as safe as possible.
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