This actually does happen for certain crimes in racketeering cases, and SEC/DOJ often run closer to the latter (ie small token fines, which are just the cost of doing business).

The difference being that SEC/DOJ are more worried that more than token fines to big corporations would cause political blowback for the agency and their careers.

The current collusion of this gov't with wealthy crypto interests seems like both of these: political blowback and direct insider kickbacks (TrumpCoin, TACO trade, etc.)

That is going to depend on the details, isn't it?

See for example the practice of civil forfeiture in the US, where the police is able to seize your property until you prove that it wasn't gained through crime. The proceeds go directly to the police department. So the more passers-by they harass, the sooner the "pennies from heaven" will fund their margarita machine! [0]

[0]: https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/phelps-county-seizing-sus...