It's a loan to the Uber at t=x, issued by Uber at t=y+x. The interest on the loan is legal fees and penalties. When the value of the money at t=x is greater tha

It's a loan to the Uber at t=x, issued by Uber at t=y+x. The interest on the loan is legal fees and penalties. When the value of the money at t=x is greater than the predicted cost of interest, and you aren't bound by ethical scruples, you take the cash. Sure, a couple drivers might have needed to take out predatory loans to cover their stolen income, but hey at least the company still exists today to fund their future, unbridled income! They should be thankful, actually. Yep, it is the mental gymnastics of might-makes-right.