if they have to come up with a replacement they expose themselves
Not sure where you're coming from with that. Seems like you don't have much experience with cabals. Whether local, county, regional, global or whatever, they all use the same script. An uneasy alliance of reprobates with a reliable person (or two..) chosen to front for them, be their public flunky. Small cabals of amateurs are relatively easy to implode, just find ways to ratchet up the distrust and their confederacy falls apart. Bigger, longer established ones are a larger challenge, if it can be done at all.