Small lies often lead to a snowball effect of bigger problems.
snowball effect
idiom B1
An accelerating growth of magnitude, including fame, fortune, importance, or danger.
Origin
disputed originFrom the image of a snowball growing larger and faster as it rolls downhill; figurative use from the early 20th century.
One positive review led to more sales, creating a snowball effect that made the small shop famous overnight.
The initial error in the financial report triggered a snowball effect, eventually resulting in the total collapse of the entire corporation.