Since money is a key to this and I thought I saw someone mention derivatives and then the possibility that the Ruth Kate worked at AIG as a risk analyst. Here are a few articles that talk about credit swaps, synthetic instruments, and other financial obligations that started off with Blythe (apropos) Masters of JPM during the ExxonMobil Valdez spill. And taking us up to all the bailouts and how it was more profitable to burn a business down and reap rewards on things you didn't own because "banks" could gamble on them. PS. Where's John Corzine?

http:// www.minyanville.com/businessmarkets/articles/credit-default-swap-cds-credit-default/5/27/2010/id/28491?page=full

http:// www.businessinsider.com/heres-the-untold-story-of-how-aig-destroyed-itself-2010-3

https:// moneymorning.com/2008/09/18/credit-default-swaps/