Comment by BrenBarn
> First, disentangling individual accountability within a vast corporate structure is difficult, particularly in determining whether any executives had the requisite knowledge and intent to be held liable.
We just need lower standards of proof. Something like:
1) you had some level of responsibility within the organization (no specific knowledge of wrongdoing required) 2) some kind of violation occurred within the organization 3) your wealth increased over some time period in which such violations were later found to have occurred
If those things happened, you are liable. People who profit should be on the hook for everything a company does, not in proportion to their specific knowledge of or involvement in any particular illegal activities, but in proportion to their nominal or "global" level of responsibility and the magnitude of their profit.
New blackmail scheme:
Get some sort of job in the company, do something illegal, threaten your manager with going to the feds, since at this point they are criminally liable for your act.
More generally, i get where you are coming from - its frustrating when the ceos are like, i just work here, totally wasn't me, excuse me while i cash my bonus cheque. But i still think morally its important that we punish people for things they actually did (or failed to do), not just by mere association.
Although perhaps something like an enhanced version of how supervisory responsibility in war crimes works would make sense - basically the way that works is if you are aware or ought to have been aware that someone under you is commiting a crime, and you don't investigate/take measures to punish/take measures to stop them, you are on the hook for the crime.