Have you ever noticed that you NEVER read about a malware originator getting caught and arrested?

Norton? It was a good article he’s in jail now I think

I always thought it was because most spam and malware was intentionally put out there by anti-virus/anti-malware companies so they can sell their products

It happens sometimes, but it haves a low level of space in the news.

A bit of the same happens with hackers.
The really "good" ones are too careful. And when caught they are sometimes discretely hires by goverments or become data security profesional counselors.
The amateur more "scandalous" ones rarely do significative crimes in a grade that are explicitelly covered by law.

In any case, only if detected and identified.

A simple google search shows this not to be the case;

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+many+people+were+arrested+in+the+US+for+malwre&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS821US821&oq=how+many+people+were+arrested+in+the+US+for+malwre&aqs=chrome..69i57.11064j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

A lot I think are overseas (from a US/UK perspective). Probably doesn't mean they never get caught, just never get on our news?

I suspect it maybe hard to tell who made it

Often times they're in foreign countries where we can't touch them.