There are many ways this can occur, so I'll try to break this down as simply as I can.
To understand what goes on their minds will be nearly impossible, but you can speculate and theorize.
First, what comes with success?
Gratification.
That feeling, for what you have been working for so long to reach an ultimate goal, and you reach it. God damn amazing.
Things start to get easier, your surrounded by others just as sucessful. Yet there is always someone better or more rich.
You get a little cocky and try to one up them but cant. There above your level. Your hunger for success and gratification is now hindered.
How can you get this? Then someone let's you in on a little secret. But wont tell you unless you agree to play along and keep quiet.
You end up in a party where a lot of sucessful people are about to start this secret sucess procedure/ritual.
You feel like you can be accepted amongst the top.
And know your all raping children in a dungeon. You get your satisfaction and instant gratification you've been longing for since your accepted.
You know what they do and you've done it too. You didn't know this was recorded. Now they have you by the balls.
They will make you do whatever they want just as to not expose you to the public with your recent sucess. Cause then you'd be a nobody and that's not what you long for.
You stay around for a while again more wealth for screwing people over in your company or doing inside trades or getting into more illegal things. But your buddies got you cause there all sucessful and cover everything up.
You then end up trafficking people and you dont even know it cause your donations at last night's galla actually went to buying kids for you all to fuck later on.
You eventually get to a position where your so wealthy your at the most important parties ever and you see new sucess come in.
You see their hunger and your ability to control them.
Rinse and repeat for multiple generations.
Now there is technology..gg