One of the reasons the credit card industry is so lucrative.

Most of the profits from pinball go to fund covert operations in failed 3rd world countries. Obviously, the US can't be directly involved in these conflicts without pissing off the UN. They needed an elaborate scheme to move the money and the choice was obvious: pinball games.

In the late 90s Gary Stern didn't want to play ball as part of this "pins for arms" arrangement. Williams had also made it clear it wouldn't be involved, so the CIA brought Gary Stern to the Williams factory as they were building Star Wars Episode 1. They made sure he got a good look at Jar Jar Binks, asked him if he was familiar with the character. He said, "Of course, he's that thinly veiled racist Stepin Fetchit from those awful prequels. I can't believe Williams would lower themselves to including that horrible character in the game, except to allow players to purposely kill him or something. Same thing with that brat kid. That kid needs a beating about as bad as the neighbor kid from Small Wonder. Somebody must have a gun to their heads. They've lost their minds."

Shortly after, Williams was shut down...I mean 'closed'. A film crew was hired through several covers to make a movie about this event and that was the story the American public swallowed.

Gary got an ominous phone call in the middle of the night: "Meesa think you work with us now. Meesa wonder you seen Battlefield Earth? It's really great.<click>" The message was clear: get in line or see the last thing your factory ever produces feature something equally ignominious.