Meta:Arizona Outlaws multi scandal
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The Outlaw multi scandal, also known as the Arizona Outlaw multi scandal or the Er scandal, was a major National Simulation Football League scandal resulting from the creation and attempted coverup of six multi players created by user ErMurazor (Er), a number of whom played for the then-three-time Ultimus winning Arizona Outlaws. The league investigation concluded that Er was responsible for between six and nine illegal multis as well as Jayce Tuck, through a number of quantitative and circumstantial pieces of evidence. Ultimately, the scandal resulted in the punishment of both Er and Tuck, the removal of the multis, along with their associated players, and the unofficial end to the early NSFL Arizona Outlaws dynasty.
Background
Unraveling the evidence
On November 15, 2017, an anonymous user named Sherlock posted an article to the NSFL media forums titled “The Curious Case of the Outlaws Multis, Feat: TimPest, YoloSwag420, and Ronaldo”. Sherlock pointed to an unusual number of similarities between the PT work of these three users, including similar graphic qualities, capitalization tendencies, and sloppiness of writing. Sherlock noted seven such examples of these types of overlaps and concluded that the users TimPest, YoloSwag420, and Sanctus were in fact multis run by the same user.
Initial league reactions to the anonymous Sherlock report prompted comparisons to the recent Logan Noble TPE scandal. While initially most brushed off the accusations as a possible case of graphic sharing, user adam2552 posted new evidence showing the IP address similarities between a huge number of users, including some of the accused multis. In all, it was found that 12 users had similar IPs from two separate IP hosts, siliconvalleywifi and northamericancoax. All in all, six of the twelve names were eventually uncovered as either Er multis or heavily suspected to be one. After multiple insistences to report any evidence to the Head Office, HO member Sweetwater locked the discussion.
The next day, user Jiggly_333 posted a response article called “Graphic Sharing and How To Stop It, Also why the new multi scare is bullshit”, which concluded that the likelihood of the three accused actually being multis was slim to none. Rather, Jiggly focused his ire on the possibility of graphic sharing and called for the league to step up and enforce rules against a possibly lucrative money-making scheme.
On the 17th, adam2552 again made waves by digging deeper into his IP address theory. In his article, titled “Down the Rabbit Hole...”, adam2552 linked the IP activity of Sanctus to that of YoloSwag420 and TimPest, but went one step further by also uncovering similar addresses with BrokkLee, TyronSmith, and BrotherP. adam2552 also discovered the similar IP address originating from a T-Mobile cell tower in Pleasant Hill, California, from which users MattJames and ErMurazor had posted before. The article also introduced a key accusation against ErMurazor, at the time the league owner, of deleting a post by YoloSwag420 in the Same IP Thread that said the latter was using a VPN and deleting the moderation logs showing said post deletion. adam2552 noted that most of these players were key cogs of the Arizona Outlaws' continued success, and presented the first major accusation levied against ErMurazor himself of creating a system of multis to boost his team's success.
This article stoked the flames of the ongoing controversy. adam2552 was accused of engaging in conspiracy theories and witch-hunting to discredit the Outlaws success. On that same day, HO finally responded in the form of the post “Multi Accusations”. The Head Office condemned the recent rash of public accusations and independent detective work, affirming that any and all possible evidence should be funneled directly to HO. They also officially concluded that any evidence of a vast multi scheme organized by some or all of the accused users was circumstantial at best. Because of the likelihood of shared IP addresses, particularly from the California cell tower, the HO decided that the simplest and likeliest explanation was mere coincidence.
Those who reacted to this proclamation generally expressed relief and gratitude towards HO’s handling of the issue, as well as disdain towards the general toxic witch-hunting atmosphere of the community and adam2552 in particular. The loose end remained of ErMurazor’s deletion of the IP Address post, which the Head Office said they would look into. They also revealed that the now-closed multi investigation was separate from a still-ongoing investigation into possible graphics sharing prompted by the initial Sherlock post from the 15th.
The results of this inquiry would be revealed on November 21, in an announcement called “Ownership Suspension”. The announcement discussed the deletion of YoloSwag420’s post and near conclusive proof from admin logs that ErMurazor was both responsible for this and for clearing his own moderation logs. However, HO could not find suitable proof of any ulterior motives for the actions, and decided that the only appropriate course of action was to temporarily restrict Er from taking over as league owner until the end of Season 5. It was noted that this moderation abuse had no impact on the concluded multi investigation.
It was quickly noted by many in the community that Er’s punishment was considered light, relative both to the established rules on moderation abuse and to established precedent from the Hendrix scandal. Head Office defended the decision, claiming that leniency was shown both because of Er’s established contributions to the league and because a monetary fine would make little difference to his funds. Three days later on the 24th, new evidence was published in the announcement “Two Moderation Suspensions”, which revealed that the moderation logs of TimPest were deleted while he was under investigation for graphics sharing and that ErMurazor was the only admin who could have possibly been responsible. As a result, Er was fined 25% of his bank account, was suspended from moderation powers for five seasons, and permanently lost the chance to keep site ownership.
It was clarified further by HO that TimPest was no longer under investigation and that only Er was subject to the punishment. A scant few criticized a perceived personal witch-hunt for Er, but most in the community were relieved by the Head Office’s actions and hoped to put the ongoing drama to rest.
The announcement
On December 15, 2017, after almost a month of investigation, the league office published a post titled “Confirmation of Arizona Multis, Tuck and others suspended”. The league concluded through their investigation that Er was illegally running multis through the users Pat17, YoloSwag420, TimPest, Sanctus, BrotherP, and BrokkLee, and probably but not definitively through TyronSmith, JasonMars, and MattJames. The evidence gathered by the HO connected these six multis to ErMurazor through an overwhelming number of separate incidences.
The evidence linked ErMurazor to Pat17 through the shared usage of Pat17’s unique IP address on multiple occasions, including performing moderator actions. YoloSwag420 and TimPest were linked through the removal of accidental fantasy football posts and the deletion of moderator logs showing said removals; Pat17 and BrotherP were connected in much the same manner. Sanctus, YoloSwag420, Pat17, TyronSmith, JasonMars, and MattJames all signed up to the website using burner emails. ErMurazor, in his scouting role for the Arizona Outlaws during the S2 Draft, did not send scouting messages to Pat17, TyronSmith, JasonMars, or MattJames - all of which were OL prospects - despite scouting other similar prospects; he also did not send scouting messages to Sanctus or YoloSwag420, both of which were drafted by Arizona. Sanctus was linked to BrokkLee via identical IP address posts 1 minute apart.
Seeing as that all of these players were only ever active community members while on the Outlaws, and seeing that ErMurazor knowingly destroyed evidence in the investigation shortly after being informed of its existence, the league office decided that the evidence proved beyond a reasonable doubt that ErMurazor was guilty of running the alleged multi scheme. ErMurazor was handed a season ban from the forums and a lifetime moderation ban with possibility of parole after two seasons. His main player, Jayce Tuck, was suspended for the rest of 2020. The six confirmed multi accounts were all banned indefinitely and their players immediately retired.
