and without trying to excuse avarice on such a grand scale, if a company is absolutely awash in money, has wonderful relationships with (owns) everyone who is supposed to regulate them, has the politicians and pundits in their back, front and side pockets, AND

their attorneys and accountants tell them it's just fine,

a mortal individual is liable to believe he or she and their creation is invincible - or at least viable.

I think those guys at the top knew a lot, and didn't understand all the consequences of what they knew because they had been insulated by money and power, attorneys and accountants.

Fastow, on the other hand, knew it was wrong, but thought it would all be lost in the grand scheme of things, that Enron would make so much money that no one would ever look at anything under 100 million bucks.

Arf