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The scenario you laid out is exactly what I think was going on. Sandusky was very careful in choosing the right boys and then took his time “grooming” them. It is all so sick.

It would be in keeping with other things I've heard about.

Put yourself in the position of a wealthy pedophile: if he's ever exposed, his life is over -- his money gone in lawsuits, his business gone, his associates not being able to continue any association with him. He would be finished.

Now here's my hypothetical scenario: suppose he acquires the services of somebody who has access to vulnerable young boys. The procurer seduces a boy, breaks him in, and when he's sure the kid is ready to be rented out sets up a meeting with the wealthy pedophile. The boy is delivered drugged so he won't remember the details and won't recognize the wealthy pedophile. After the encounter, the boy is sobered up and delivered to the foster home (or whatever).

Now assume a ring of pedophiles like above. With numbers come safety, in that they can't/won't finger each other, but they CAN pull strings to quash any investigation of the procurer. Also assume that they have enough at stake that they can arrange the disappearance of anybody who threatens them. That's what they've been seeing in Europe.

With numbers come safety, in that they can't/won't finger each other, but they CAN pull strings to quash any investigation of the procurer.

IMHO, a theory (speculation):

a) Sandusky played for Paterno at Penn State from 1963 to 1965
b) He held assistant coaching positions at Juniata College (1967) and Boston University (1968) then returned to Penn State in 1969 as an assistant coach until his 1999 retirement.
c) Sandusky had opportunities for head coaching positions, including with U of Maryland in 1991, but turned them down. Hmmm... why.... (speculating starts here)
d) Sandusky gets the idea back in the 70's to start this kids organization to see it can help with his "urges" he's always had. He starts the Second Mile in 1977. It gives him everything he wants for himself. He never would want to leave his Penn State job and Pennsylvania as long as he has this charity going as it's his source of victims that he put so much effort into and would stick out like a sore thumb if he started another one in another state.
e) Slowly here and there in talking he comes across others interested in what he has. He accomodates them and starts charging them; nice cash payments.
f) after he starts the group, he comes into contact with a lot of wealthy people as he looks for donors
g) pedophiles absolutely know that such a charity is the mother of all motherlodes of potential victims, so they approach him and discretely inquire.
h) he accomodates whoever asks, and their donations form the perfect payment for illicit services rendered: they're hidden in plain sight, they provide indirect benefit in keeping the charity going but they are completely legitimate. He does not have to hide a lot of illegal cash, he just deposits donations into the charity's bank account. The payments are even tax deductible to the client (how sick is that ?). Not only that - it is impossible for the client's wife to know what is going on and she might even be writing the checks with a big smile.
i) Sandusky keeps detailed records of clients; he realizes that this trail of evidence is, in effect, a license to rape once he gets enough important people on the list, since it would blow up the Penn State football program in a Pedapolyptic PR disaster if the evidence ever went public, as clients are inside Penn State, others are well-known figures. Once he has all these "donating" clients, he can't stop filling orders, or the donations will rather suddenly dry up. He has to continue running the organization and stay very actively involved with the kids in order to keep the supply of victims; no one else can justify spending that much alone time with the kids and if anyone else is involved in that part of his operation he risks that person turning him in or trying to shake him down for more money.
j) Perhaps McQueary was a victim (another theory floating around FR) as a child, perhaps not. So perhaps Paterno found out about Sandusky's foulness in the 60's, 70's, 80's, maybe not until 1998. But he did find out in 1998 for sure. In any case - Sandusky has to convince Paterno to give him another chance just the first time, just once. Once Paterno agrees to not go to the police and does not insist on immediate prosecution of his former player, Paterno himself has broken the law by not reporting him since Penn State is a public school. And most certainly Paterno's reputation would go down with Sandusky's if it came out that he protected him. By the time the 1998 accusation pops up, Sandusky simply responds to the Attorney General and PSU administration with this: you take me down - and I take your football program down. PSU goes down hard in the mother of all PR scandals. But Jerry, they say, we know what you're doin', you are looking at hard time here with this accuser we have (the 1998 rape). He says listen, I've got files. The AG says lemme see'em, Jerry gives him a copy. That's what's on the AG's hard drive that can't be recovered. Some backchannel conversations take place, the list is checked out a little, at which time the AG gets the feeling that HIS life is in Jeopardy (I'll take scandals for $1200 Alex). The agreement is then made that Jerry will retire after 1999 - we don't prosecute you - you keep our reputation spotless. You harm the PSU reputation and the deal's off.
k) The negotiators feel like they've "saved" the program at Penn State. Jerry feels like a King - he thinks he won. He gets to run his business and pursue his gruesome hobby after 1999 - FULL TIME ! He keeps getting more daring, attacking more boys.
l) The 2002 rape is witnessed by McQueary, who's in way over his pay grade, he's scared to death of what to do. There are more negotiations, backchannel communication, coverup, but by 2005 Gricar the AG from 1998 is wetting himself with fear - clients know that he had the client list. The rumors are starting to circulate much more widely, and Jerry is acting as though he is BOUND to be caught again, which, if he's prosecuted for real, it would be the end of Gricar's career and reputation for failing to prosecute the 1998 case. He plans his disappearance/fake death, with a scene having an unrecoverable disk - his signal to all who read the news story that he is a) disappearing forever and b) no longer a threat to blow the whistle.

A new John Grisham novel: The Coach

("The Program" title has already been made into a movie that's nowhere near as complex a story)