[buzzin_]

I don't think this particular case was a lone wolf problem.

[usrusr]

Lone pawn, as in doing directly for the strong person at the top (owners family?) what the top would never dare to order through the regular chain of command would not be quite as impossible.

[p_l]

Multiple people had to be involved, not just programmers.

[jacquesm]

About as likely as dieselgate.

[peteradio]

I think the above is actually well crafted sarcasm. But it does highlight why as an engineer/developer it is important to get requirements in writing and have a process that shows why you made the changes you ultimately made.