If you “only” fine them thousands of dollars, well they made more then that with their scam. It amounts to a tax, a tax many people with questionable morals may be willing to pay ("so I can live high on the hog, and if the piper comes due, just give him a months profit? I’m in!). If you fine them enough to bankrupt the business that was based on illegal practices anyway, then you at least send the message “if we catch you, it’s over”.
You need to be careful with fines on profitable illegal practices. They have to actually exceed the value of the practice!
