"Taco Bell is defending a sick shell game purportedly played by one of its employees."
I'm sorry, but what self-respecting journalist would write that? That would get rejected by my high school newspaper. And who is Matthew Snider? They mention him near the end of the article without any introduction at all. This is just sloppy writing all around. (Yeah, yeah, I know I'm missing the point completely, but if I turned something like that into the newspaper I work at now, I wouldn't have a job for much longer. And I work for a no-name rag where half the content is written by people fresh out of high school. I'm a joy at parties, I know.)
Getting back on track, do I think the kid was doing something stupid? Yes. Do I think the company officials are overreacting like crazy? Absolutely.
EDIT: Also, from the thread's title, I was expecting a Photoshop of a Resident Evil Licker in a Taco Bell. I think that would be a million times more entertaining.