Another one of those "free if you want to use it" ideas.

Given that something bad happens, something bad on a large scale. Add to that a cover-up, done in the name of covering someone's interests, be it their ass, their pocketbook, or their name. Now, add the inevitable discoverer, who seeks to go public with it.

At some point, the meat will meet the media. Depending on who is telling the tale, it could be a case of blackmail, that the discoverer wanted hush money. It could be a case of witness tampering, that the malefactor offered hush money. Or it could be something else entirely.

This has the makings of a possible Rashamon story, where we know the facts, but we aren't sure of the truth.