For me YES, there are many big people behind this manipulation. Specially those people that is really rich, and planning to start to invest in cryptocurrencies. I really believe that manipulation of the price of Bitcoin still effective but it will not be effective forever, bitcoin will become fully decentralized soon.
Well obviously it is manipulated but not fully. Saying that it's fully manipulated would mean that there are no other aspects affecting the price movement aside from whales. A lot can and is affecting btc price.