Ultimate Guide for Boeing Whistleblowers

Learn What You Need to Know About Serving as a Boeing Whistleblower

While the tragic stories of John Barnett and Joshua Dean made headlines in recent years, Boeing—like many companies—has faced multiple whistleblower complaints from current and former employees. From raising safety concerns to raising concerns about fraud, whistleblowers can expose an extremely wide range of issues, and whistleblowers play an important role in the government’s efforts to hold major companies accountable.

Our attorneys are available to represent prospective Boeing whistleblowers nationwide. If you believe that you have information that makes you eligible to serve as a whistleblower, we can help you decide whether to come forward. We are able to assist with filing whistleblower claims with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and all other federal agencies, and we represent all whistleblowers at no out-of-pocket cost.

Examples of Potential Grounds to Blow the Whistle

Whistleblowers can (and do) report all forms of fraud, waste, abuse, and other wrongdoing to the federal government. If you have any information that you believe may warrant an investigation and possible enforcement action against Boeing by the federal government, you may be eligible to serve as a whistleblower and receive protection under federal law.

As we discuss below, there are specific steps you must take to qualify as a federally protected whistleblower. With this in mind, if you are thinking about blowing the whistle against Boeing based on any of the following allegations (or any other allegations), we strongly recommend that you speak with an experienced whistleblower attorney as soon as possible.

Some examples of potential grounds for filing a whistleblower complaint against your current or former employer include:

Covering Up Safety Risks

On multiple occasions, Boeing has faced allegations that it covered up known safety risks. This includes allegations that the company both knowingly failed to conduct adequate safety monitoring and failed to respond to known safety issues after catastrophic events. These types of allegations implicate a host of federal statutes and regulations—particularly in cases involving air travel and other heavily regulated industries.

If you have evidence of a coverup of known safety risks, a failure to take necessary remedial action, or any other suspected form of wrongdoing prioritizing efforts to prevent delays over efforts to protect passenger safety, we want to hear from you. All companies should prioritize identifying safety risks, documenting defects, and responding appropriately. Those that don’t can put innocent people’s lives at risk; and, when companies prioritize profits over safety, they deserve to be held fully accountable.

Covering Up Quality Control Failures

Along with allegations of covering up safety risks, Boeing has also faced allegations of covering up quality control failures. The case triggered by quality manager John Barnett’s whistleblower complaint is just one case against Boeing involving these allegations.

Quality control is an essential part of the manufacturing process for airlines and other major manufacturers. These companies need to identify—and address—manufacturing defects before they put lives at risk. Defective emergency oxygen systems, defective flight controls, defective bolts, and other defective components can all pose fatal risks, and they all need to be treated accordingly. If a manufacturer fails to track components throughout the production process or fails to conduct adequate testing, this can lead to accidents (and has led to accidents) resulting from serious safety issues that could—and should—have been prevented.

Whether you work on the production line, you are a current or former quality auditor or quality control manager, you work in management, or you are aware of quality control failures due to your work in any other position, you may be eligible to come forward as a whistleblower. Even if Boeing denied or ignored your concerns internally, you may still have grounds to file a complaint with the government.

Committing Fraud Under Government Contracts

Boeing has also faced allegations of fraud under its contracts with the federal government. Government contract fraud is a pervasive issue that costs taxpayers billions of dollars every year, and the DOJ, U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), and other federal authorities rely heavily on whistleblowers to expose product substitutions, quality control failures, and fraudulent billing practices.

Whether you are aware of fraud (or suspect fraud) in relation to your own work or you have become aware of fraud through other means, you may be eligible to serve as a whistleblower under the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act applies to all federal contractors, and it prohibits the submission of any “false or fraudulent” claim for payment from the government. Our attorneys have extensive experience in False Claims Act cases. If you are eligible to serve as a qui tam whistleblower under the False Claims Act, we can file your complaint, work alongside the government to protect your identity, and work with the government to collect your relator’s award if you become eligible to receive one.

Misrepresenting Information to Federal Authorities

Whether related to a government contract or otherwise, companies can be held accountable for misrepresenting information to (or obscuring information from) federal authorities. Boeing has faced these allegations as well, including in relation to the 737 Max disasters several years ago.

In a press release announcing Boeing’s agreement to pay over $2.5 billion to settle fraud conspiracy allegations related to the evaluation of 737 Max planes, the DOJ wrote:

“The misleading statements, half-truths, and omissions communicated by Boeing employees to the [Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)] impeded the government’s ability to ensure the safety of the flying public . . . . This case sends a clear message: The Department of Justice will hold manufacturers like Boeing accountable for defrauding regulators – especially in industries where the stakes are this high.”

If you are aware of information being misrepresented to (or withheld from) the FAA or any other federal authority, you may be eligible to serve as a Boeing whistleblower. Here too, our attorneys can examine the information you have in your possession and help you make an informed decision about whether to come forward.

Attempting to Prevent Whistleblowing (Including Retaliation Against Prior Whistleblowers)

Companies can also face government enforcement action for attempting to prevent whistleblowers from coming forward. This includes attempting to intimidate would-be whistleblowers by retaliating against those who have come forward previously. While it may be too late to file a whistleblower complaint if your employer (or former employer) is already facing a whistleblower retaliation case, again, we strongly encourage you to contact us before making any decisions about your next steps.

While Boeing has faced allegations of these forms of wrongdoing, it is important to emphasize that many of these remain allegations at this stage, and the company has settled with the government without admitting wrongdoing in some cases. Additionally, this list of potential grounds for filing a whistleblower claim is not unique to Boeing. With that said, if you believe that you may have information about any of these (or any other) forms of wrongdoing at the company, we encourage you to contact us for more information.

Serving as a Boeing Whistleblower

If you are thinking about serving as a Boeing whistleblower, it is important that you have a clear understanding of the steps you need to take to establish your eligibility for protection (and potentially compensation) under federal law. Here is an overview of what you need to know:

What It Means to Blow the Whistle

Serving as a whistleblower involves working with the government to expose fraud, waste, abuse, or some other form of wrongdoing. As discussed below, it does not involve exposing your employer (or former employer) on social media or in the news. The steps involved in serving as a federal whistleblower include:

1. Determining if You Qualify to Serve as a Whistleblower

The first step is to determine if you qualify to serve as a whistleblower. While several federal laws protect whistleblowers—and several federal agencies have whistleblower programs—it is important to make sure that you qualify based on the information you have and the specific circumstances of your case.

Generally, to qualify as a whistleblower, you must be the first to come forward with the information you have in your possession (though there are exceptions), and the information you have in your possession must warrant a federal investigation. If you have information about Boeing’s wrongful conduct, our attorneys can determine if you qualify for protected whistleblower status.

2. Determining Which Agency to Contact

If you qualify to serve as a whistleblower, the next step is to determine which agency to contact. While many cases involve filing a qui tam complaint under the False Claims Act with the DOJ, there are other possibilities—and it is important to make an informed decision under the circumstances at hand. The DOD, U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and various other federal agencies have whistleblower programs as well.

3. Preparing Your Whistleblower Complaint

Once you determine which agency you need to contact, then you can prepare your whistleblower complaint according to the relevant agency’s requirements. If you need to file a qui tam complaint under the False Claims Act, you will need to prepare your complaint in accordance with both the statute’s substantive requirements and the procedural requirements for initiating legal action in federal court. As we said above, our attorneys have extensive experience in these cases, and we can prepare your complaint for you (subject to your approval prior to submission).

4. Submitting Your Complaint Through the Appropriate Channels

While initiating a qui tam case under the False Claims Act involves filing a complaint in federal court, in all other cases, whistleblowers must submit their complaints according to the relevant agency’s specified procedures. This is important, as failing to follow the relevant agency’s procedural requirements can potentially result in loss of whistleblower eligibility. Our attorneys are intimately familiar with all pertinent agencies’ filing procedures, and we can submit your whistleblower complaint on your behalf.

5. Maintaining Confidentiality While Working with the Government

While whistleblowers are entitled to strong confidentiality protections under federal law, whistleblowers also play a key role in keeping their identities unknown. If you decide to file a whistleblower complaint, you will want to work closely (and exclusively) with your attorney in order to maintain your confidentiality while your attorney communicates with the government on your behalf.

What Does Not Constitute Protected Whistleblowing

If you are thinking about blowing the whistle on Boeing, just as important as knowing what to do is knowing what not to do. Although each of the following are commonly referred to as “whistleblowing,” they generally do not qualify current or former employees (or other individuals) as whistleblowers under federal law:

• Posting Information on Social Media – If you post non-public information on social media, not only can this prevent you from qualifying as a whistleblower, but it may also violate the terms of your employment.
• Going to the Press – Likewise, going to the press can preclude you from securing protected whistleblower status. “Going public” with your information before you contact the government could also make it more difficult for the government to pursue a successful enforcement action.

With this in mind, before you make any decisions about what to do (or what not to do) with the information or evidence you have in your possession, we strongly encourage you to speak with one of our whistleblower attorneys. We will hold your identity and all other information you share with us in strict confidence, and we will help you make informed and confident decisions about your next steps.

Conspiracy Theories Surround Death of John Barnett and Second Boeing Whistleblower Joshua Dean

While conspiracy theories have surrounded the deaths of Boeing whistleblowers John Barnett and Joshua Dean, these theories have not been proven. Boeing has vigorously defended against any allegations that it played a role in these individuals’ tragic deaths, and their official causes of death have not been linked to the company.

John Barnett’s death in Charleston, South Carolina in March 2024 has been attributed to a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was ruled a suicide by the Charleston County Coroner, while Johsua Dean reportedly died from natural causes after he developed pneumonia in April 2024. While Barnett’s family filed—and Boeing settled—a wrongful death lawsuit, this lawsuit involved allegations that Barnett took his own life after being subjected to harassment, abuse, and humiliation.

FAQs: Blowing the Whistle on Boeing

Schedule a Free and Confidential Consultation with a Federal Whistleblower Attorney at Oberheiden P.C.

Do you have questions about blowing the whistle on Boeing? If so, we can arrange for you to speak with one of our senior attorneys in strict confidence as soon as possible. To schedule a free consultation, call 888-680-1745 or tell us how we can reach you online now.