Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Thursby16/Archive

07 April 2016

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To start, I really need to stress that I do not believe all the accounts are linked, and so apologies to the above editors who are presumably innocent for getting dragged into this. That said, I see enough patterns to believe that one of them is using a sock. From Articles for deletion/Elizabeth Koch (publisher); in general I do not believe there is a WP:Cabal at all here, and I am not bitter about the way they are voting. Its their opinion, which they have a right to.

But I am concerned that when the voting came to a tie early on April 7, all the sudden there is a brand new editor, KingOfKingsTheAssassin, who is only interested on AfD pages. Its hard for me to see that a brand new user was just interested in contributing to the Articles for Deletion process. Nonetheless, their vote cast a 5 - 4 lead in favor of keeping the article.
 * https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Elizabeth_Koch_(publisher)&diff=714134816&oldid=714122624

This contribution to Wikipedia is virtually the extent of this user's activity on Wikipedia:
 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/KingOfKingsTheAssassin

Considering the long history of vandalism across related pages, and that the first incarnation of these page was created by a single-purpose editor, user Factorhk, who created it as a COATRACK attack page: I think there is at least cause to be suspicious someone is going the extra mile to ensure this page stays up.
 * https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elizabeth_Koch_(publisher)&oldid=711562377

Again, I want to stress that I am not of the belief that all these editors are involved; I just have suspicion that at least one does and want to ensure that is not the case. Hope everyone understands and no one gets too offended. Also hope it gets resolved. Thanks. DaltonCastle (talk) 21:50, 7 April 2016 (UTC) DaltonCastle (talk) 21:50, 7 April 2016 (UTC)

Comments by other users
''Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.''
 * Yes, the suspected master is suspicious indeed -- !voting right away, knowing immediately how to sign edits. However, take the cases of Chase Koch and Elizabeth Koch (publisher): I frankly don't think that the other editors !voting at an AFD -- especially with policy-based arguments -- is inherently suspicious. The suspected master's own rationales for keeping are extremely weak, and not policy-based at all. A lot of editors are going to be caught up in this, and while I understand the filer's concern for the possible sockpuppetry, I think that only Factorhk is the likely related account. GABHello! 23:00, 7 April 2016 (UTC)


 * Ok, in hindsight I guess I should have simply listed it as such. I apologize to the uninvolved editors if and when they get dragged into this. DaltonCastle (talk) 23:27, 7 April 2016 (UTC)


 * I find it weird that they have participated in several AFDs where Factorhk does not seem (unless I am wrong) to have been involved. I guess it may just be obfuscatory, but I've never really seen that. GABHello! 23:34, 7 April 2016 (UTC)


 * we have another suspicious account - : . Should they be checked as well? GABHello! 16:22, 8 April 2016 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * - Endorsed with respect to and  only, based on Factorjk creating Elizabeth_Koch_(publisher), then KingOfKingsTheAssassin !voting in the AfD 9 minutes after being created. Declined with respect to all other listed suspected socks; I will be removing the others from the investigation completely unless some evidence is shown. Thanks for your vigilance in filing this, . Kevin ( aka L235 ·&#32; t ·&#32; c) 04:44, 8 April 2016 (UTC)
 * is actually a ✅ sock of and was used to support Thursby16's vote! in  (this AfD).  is a very weak .-- Jezebel's Ponyo bons mots  17:07, 8 April 2016 (UTC)
 * Note that I've blocked the KingOfKingsTheAssasin account indef and the Thursby16 master account for one week. Perhaps this can be moved to reflect the master?-- Jezebel's Ponyo bons mots 17:10, 8 April 2016 (UTC)
 * Just so you guys know, I'm going to start a new investigation for User:Plainswin. DaltonCastle (talk) 17:20, 8 April 2016 (UTC)
 * Closing (see also the histmerge product at Sockpuppet investigations/Factorhk). Kevin ( aka L235 ·&#32; t ·&#32; c) 01:19, 3 May 2016 (UTC)