Bernie Madoff also comes to mind. All Ponzi schemes are destined to fail as his was. There should be a point in which the fraudster can tell the jig is up and he activates a pre-planned escape plan. Do they believe their own hoaxes?
The word is GREED.
They get away with it long enough that the money is looking just too good and they start believing they can extend the con indefinitely.
Amateurs like Madoff and Holmes also get addicted to the fame and notoriety that goes with their con. They enjoy the interviews, the magazine covers, the hobnobbing with the movers and shakers of the world.
Professional grifters (other than politicians) know they have a set amount of time and work accordingly. For some they have a set dollar amount, for others it’s a period of time. The one thing they keep in mind is the exit point. Then off to somewhere else for another con.
They have dozens of cons and variations they pull over their lifetime.
The professional con also works in the shadows. They don’t want their pictures out in the world. They don’t want televised interviews. They want to remain anonymous. That way the next con has a good chance of success.
“There should be a point in which the fraudster can tell the jig is up and he activates a pre-planned escape plan. Do they believe their own hoaxes?”
Except when they get too big and you can’t even bolt the country without looking over your shoulder the rest of your life.
And if one tries to leave earlier, they’re (understandably) scared to death that they’ll still get nailed, so the default is to keep it going, and simply hope...