The elephant in the room is...
Microsoft.
Did they know exactly what the payload - and I use that word deliberately - of the drivers was, when they distributed them as part of Windows update?
Microsoft could be at least as much on the hook here as FTDI. If they knew, they were part of the conspiracy. If they didn't know, they distributed malware (and I can't think of any other description for something designed to brick a device) without doing due diligence.
What have they said on the matter? Register - do journalism! Dig.