The article talks about two different schemes: one is 100% illegal, the other one is abuse of a loophole. So there was clearly theft in the first case. For the

The article talks about two different schemes: one is 100% illegal, the other one is abuse of a loophole. So there was clearly theft in the first case. For the second case, I'd call that theft, too. But theft that involves corrupt lawmakers. When communists confiscate people property, it is theft, no matter what the communists put in their law.