A marketing genius coupled with the rise of the internet helped spawn a stuffed animal craze that created and destroyed huge amounts of wealth, said Zac Bissonnette, author of 'The Great Beanie Baby Bubble.' Bissonnette added that creator Ty Warner was able to maintain the illusion of exclusivity to keep prices aloft until the bubble eventually crashed. He said even McDonald's tried to get in on the mania, which should have been a sign that the bubble was soon to pop. Finally, Bissonnette said that Ty Warner made billions of dollars from his plush toys, even after paying a fine for tax evasion.