This sounds like almost the best business environment for criminals.

"I am sorry judge, yes, it could be that we are involved in crime, but we have been too busy counting billions of dollars each year. As you might understand, businesses are not part of society, they should only be judged on their shareholder value. We reap the profits, society pays for the collateral damage, that's only fair."

Yes, you mentioned leeway. That would only make sense in the context of an entity understanding it's role. It does like in the way above.