But mostly, the only way people would find out about a scheme, is if the schemer tells them about it.
This is my big problem. If I've had my way I would have planted NPCs loyal to me inside Electus Matari and Ushra'Khan, would pay people to give me the times when there was a PIE directorate meeting.
Unfortunately, I can't do those things, and such information is not inaccessible to me in other regular ways. I have no interest in using spy alts, and wouldn't use capsuleer hired spies for many such jobs. I also wouldn't hack forum accounts, try to overhear MSN conversations and the like.
However, such is neccessary to get information that people don't want to get like IC.
I doubt anyone has any idea how many schemes X or Y Merdaneth has cooked, simply because its hard, tedious and often unrewarding to try and find out. All my secret schemes are . No NPC ever betrays me, no employee of Merdaneth is ever bought, no security system is ever bypassed.
Indeed, the best way to get people to interact with your 'evil/good' schemes is telling people about them, and telling it before it is completed to allow people to interact with it. Hiding RP that you desire others to be interact with is pretty stupid things to do in EVE.
I'll post an 'evil plan' tomorrow, however, in such a way the scheme is believable.