You are so fixated on travel agents, when most of us don't use them anymore. You seem like your world view is set about 20 years ago, when travel agents could routinely do all of the evil things you list ad nauseum.

Which was also the same time frame when back-to-back ticketing became so popular because of Saturday night stay requirements.

These days (Earth to ExAAerOnDL) travel agents are increasingly less involved, increasingly less powerful, and increasingly subject to debit memos for shenanigans. Moreover, Saturday night stay requirements from most major markets are a thing of the past and one-way ticket pricing is ever more prevalent.

And I am not going to debate breach of contract versus criminal fraud with you. You have your view, and the rest of us have ours.