Well I imagine so. But it still means google management decided to fund (relatively expensive) top notch research just to act as a front for their criminal operation.
A lot more likely explanation is that they did setup the research lab with 100% honest intentions (i.e. they expected that it would produce value to them) but then it turned out that the results didn't meet their expectations and/or they slowly figured out that they don't have to adhere to all the rules and principles they set out for themselves earlier.
Also, many large corporations are best thought of as multiple personalities, with different parts of the organization acting in different ways.