Yes they have opened 79 scam accusations. None of us can decide who deserves the benefit of a reduced punishment that's for Admin's ... maybe Global Mods get a say I have no idea. The best course of action is to just support that user in their ban appeal thread. There is also the fact that a lot of information is available behind the scenes that we are not aware of.
Regardless of how many users receive a reduced punishment, it's a step in the right direction for the right users.
Several Russian-speaking users who have merits and recommendations have asked for forgiveness. Their requests are ignored. And this user is not even banned for plagiarism. Explain to me the principle of your justice?
Who they are or where they come from has no bearing on the decision. It's if they are deemed to be a net positive to the forum, and I imagine it takes a decent contribution to overcome plagiarism, especially if it was motivated by money.