> Does Sam has any more reputation to burn? Seriously, who would genuinely trust him at this point?

Sam doesn’t care.

After the board threw him out of his own company, why would he allow that to happen again? With that, he now trusts far much less people.

> Money really does blind all our senses, doesn't it?

That is why the cultishness was full on display last year when he was fired by the board.