You're absolutely right about that, and I'm sure that this is a 'learning moment' for them. I never meant to give the impression that you shouldn't learn from your mistakes.

If there is a clear reason why they wanted their cash back - and nobody seems to have a clue why they did that - then all this is is speculation.

Money in the bank in the short term is sometimes more important than a great payoff at some distant point in the future (if it happens).