You give them too much credit, methinks.
The plan may have never been to succeed...
just to make money off groups and never take real jobs.
And they have succeeded-- retirement is close. My guess is that this
bozo pays himself to wander around the labs at Ames and pretend to be
competent, then periodically milks the investors for salary when he
needs cash. Then, remarkably, applauds himself for doing it!
The "mavericks" have made so many missteps along the way that this
result is unsurprising, even predictable.
The only hope you have is that the "Space foundation"
lady had good knowledge, and they really have a product near
completion. Appropriate to this A-team: I wouldn't hold my
breath.
The only shocker to me is how on earth Scripps & Theranostics and
other groups are willing to be affiliated with these clowns.
SD