If you're claiming charitable donations out of what they made means they should get leniency then trading profit for jail time is exactly what's happening. Don

If you're claiming charitable donations out of what they made means they should get leniency then trading profit for jail time is exactly what's happening. Donations made from what they make = less profit directly to them. If that then leads to a shorter sentence (or as you're saying no sentence) then how is that not trading off jail time for profit? The only thing you can say in their favour is that it seems unlikely that they were thinking that cynically when they did it, that the donations were probably genuine rather than an attempt to play the system, but it still sets a very dangerous precedent. Besides, what about all the money they've already spent which can't be recovered? There really is no argument that they didn't profited from the crime.