Hey Half Banana,
I have a different take: Rutherford taught Knorr how things work. You can live it up, travel first class, see the world, have comfortable lodgings, wield lots of power over the faithful, and want for no material possession while you're alive, but you've got to expand Jehoober's kingdom. So I think Knorr viewed himself as some sort of Prince/King of a spiritual Israel. He got to have a comfortable lifestyle and lifelong reign which he thought God allowed him in exchange for full devotion.
I think the Watchtower leadership back then was delusional, but I don't think they were covertly financially crooked with regards to the stashing of cash/shares.