And the only thing I can ask is... why? Are they THAT focused on short-term? I mean, seriously, the top executives are facing PRISON for this. Did they think they could get away with it forever?
Pretty much. Either get away with it indefinitely or throw someone under a bus and avoid repercussions. It's worth noting that the latter is almost certainly going to happen for a lot of the people that made substantial money off that decision :V
Honestly, there's days that I wonder if investors shouldn't be liable for charges with stuff like this, along with the direct company decision makers. Bankruptcy, debt coverage and whatnot, sure, dodge those, but if you're investing in a company that's doing skeevy shit, maybe it's time you start getting shanked for it. After a time or two getting hit with fines and/or charges, people might become a helluva' lot more careful about who and what they invest in, with a subsequent improvement in corporate ethics and oversight.