CHICAGO — United Airlines will pay more than $49 million to settle criminal and civil accusations of defrauding the post office in the handling of international mail.

The Justice Department said Friday that former employees of United’s cargo division falsified parcel delivery information for several years. Prosecutors say that as a result, United collected millions of dollars in payments that it should not have received. United is agreeing to pay about $17 million in criminal penalties and forfeited revenue to end the criminal investigation. United will also pay more than $32 million in related civil penalties.