It's a good story as NY stories go. He didn't cancel the cards, because that's how he tracked her. "Hello, American Express, can you tell me the last charge on my card? Oh, Mr. Chow's? I see. And that was tonight? Right. Thank you."
And, in truth, the guy could afford it. $30,000 wasn't going to saddle him with a debt for life, but if his wife went over the edge forever and left him with two kids under five --that's a tough row to hoe.
That is sort of - sad. If your relationship deteriorates to the point where AMEX is the significant POC, I guess it is done for.