I used to be close to several people from high school and prior. But two friends drove a wedge between many of us.
One of my very close (female) friends from grade school married on of my closest (male) friends from junior and senior high. I was the Best Man at their wedding which was (at least) the second for both of them at the age of 40. However five years later, the husband embezzled $7.7 million supposedly to cover up for something the wife did. The husband reached out to me to ask me to help pay for his defense attorney. He was convinced and served just 4.5 years in federal prison.
All of our mutual friends are splintered on the manner.