Amazingly, none of them had an "end game". It's as if the type of person who can conceive of and execute such a scam can't imagine that he will ever be found out. So, lack of an obvious "end game" is no reason to conclude that it's not a scam.
That makes a lot of sense, kind of like The Sting. Which reminds me that I though about Rossi getting his plans from movie plots...
If the company that bought the 1MW plant is a shill and the 10,000 pre-orders is real, he might use that to attract investors who think that it's all in the up and up, they've seen successful LENR replications and being greedy, they want in first. Of course, then Rossi acts like he doesn't want their money and mentions that the technology isn't mature, that makes investors want even more to invest. Rossi names some outrageous terms, they counter and Rossi gets what he wants. It might not even be illegal unless they can prove that the 1mw test was either faked, or controlled by a shill or both.
You're also correct that investors don't want to admit they were conned, also, Rossi does have his E-cats so he has something to show and experienced scientists believe him as well.
It would be much better if Rossi is real but eccentric and his E-cats do work, waiting for proof. If it is real, what will OPEC do? This is direct competition against their virtual monopoly. If the E-cat is real and we can use it to replace home heaters, heating plants in buildings, water heaters, pre-heat steam for existing power plants and who knows what and only need petroleum for automobiles and chemicals, then the next twenty years will be interesting unless OPEC buys him out or does something worse although Rossi isn't the only game in town in the long run.
As for Sterling Allan, he's probably not even involved as he is a true believer although the weird part is I haven't seen him reporting on successful LENR experiments but he does go for every wishy-washy thing there is; Tilley, seriously, he bought that? Did he ever do anything about running for President in 2004?
As for Sterling Allan, he's probably not even involved as he is a true believerHe may be a "true believer", but he is responsible for pesn.com and peswiki.com, which has been the primary source of lies, half-truths and innuendo for Rossi for the last year.
Allan also created the first version of Rossi's "commercial" web site, ecat.com.
I count Allan's involvement and support of Rossi's operation as one of the better reasons to conclude that it's a scam.