This is the problem with grading...

[Clutch-Hitter]

1. Same seller sold the cards both times
2. Sales occurred in a small time frame
3. Same buyer in original auctions
4. Cards appeared with grade increases second time
5. The original buyer was a dealer(?), yet had someone else sell
....what else? And a list for realistic explanations?

Well, too many to be called a conspiracy theory as it is...although an unfound conclusion can be reached. In this case, the conspiracy theory would rest on the positive side; the side trying to rationalize all the highly suspicious activity as normal, at least before the team spoke up with the truth as they saw it.

I don't believe that psa did favors specifically. I do believe they are unaware of who submitted, but they do know if one person submitted many cards. They would know specifically who submitted at a show, I guess. Sounds like they were cracked and submitted in bulk, with a single, busy grader dealing with all of them.

I would not think the sgc guy submitted to psa, sounds more like the seller doing that, possibly on behalf of the sgc guy, which could be articulated differently. I initially thought this was similar to that major auction house shilling on their own auctions, with this seller in business with the sgc guy, but was highly relieved when they, like the auction house, explained there was no wrong doing. Very relieved.

It never hurts to check things out since greed can enable people to rationalize unethical behavior as normal, necessary, etc, which may be followed through on...with a pre-meditated alibi...if, then BS. Thank goodness all of it added up to nothing, just a list of odd coincidences...