Interesting theory... tbh though, even if they "created the illusion" of popularity with less than savory forum tactics, this hardly explains how and why they became as popular as they did.

I've tried to "create the illusion of popularity," and it's hardly a scalable and/or profitable endeavor unless REAL people are excited in the product you are selling.

Also, they're hardly the first altcoin to create the "illusion of popularity." A more interesting question (if we take your claim as valid) is: Why were their tactics so wildly successful?