They were nailed cold. I think I would much rather make a deal than face a jury, some or all of whom would have been hit hard in the last two years with the financial crisis and everything else that's going on.
What does the regular person on the street say about public company bailouts, cooking the books, subprime, derivatives that just about nobody understands or can explain etc.
Hang em, is what I usually hear.
So when faced with a stock scam and laundering money I think the same sentiment would apply.