Contest Cheat Investigation

Overview — major findings

Source: leaderboard_export_2026-08-11.xlsx · Generated: 2026-08-11 12:40

At a glance

  • 37 flagged users
  • 3 Critical · 29 High · 5 Review · 0 Low
  • Flagged users account for 2254 plays in the export
  • User ID 14 alone = 1,831 plays (77.1% of all contest plays)

Recommended action

Disqualify immediately: Critical tier + High-tier bot/referral alts.

Manual review: Review tier (possible shared lab script).

Do not auto-DQ: accounts marked LIKELY_INTERNAL (organizer).

Recalculate leaderboard using the interactive leaderboard tool — disqualify users and see updated ranks instantly.

Major reasons people were flagged

Referral network — who invited who

Read graphs top → bottom: top person shared invite link, bottom person signed up. Red/Orange = disqualify · Blue = review · Grey = clean.

Full overview graph (large)

Referral overview

Group 1 — root ID 14 (Plant Microbe Interaction Group)

9 flagged users: ID 14, ID 16, ID 44, ID 45, ID 46, ID 49, ID 52, ID 53 (+1) · most invites among flagged: ID 44 (7 referrals)

Group 1

Group 2 — root ID 33 (Jen Southcombe)

6 flagged users: ID 33, ID 63, ID 64, ID 66, ID 73, ID 80

Group 2

Group 3 — root ID 18 (Foley)

5 flagged users: ID 18, ID 21, ID 22, ID 27, ID 28

Group 3

Group 4 — root ID 37 (Voolstra lab)

3 flagged users: ID 37, ID 40, ID 41

Group 4

Group 5 — root ID 7 (Marko Petek)

2 flagged users: ID 7, ID 8

Group 5

All flagged users

→ Open interactive leaderboard — original ranks from export, disqualify button, live updated ranking (saved in browser).

IDNameEmailPlaysShareTierAction
14Plant Microbe Interaction Groupsuzan.bhadhury@ucdconnect.ie183177.1%CriticalDisqualify
46Batmansinghabhi993@gmail.com261.1%CriticalDisqualify
52Skprdeepakprasad@gmail.com30.1%CriticalDisqualify
44FDboggarapusaisushma@gmail.com893.7%HighDisqualify; strip referral bonus
35Jen Southcomberebecca.dragovic@wrh.ox.ac.ul813.4%HighDisqualify
18Foleycm2493@bath.ac.uk291.2%HighDisqualify; strip referral bonus
37Voolstra labluigi.colin@uni-konstanz.de210.9%HighDisqualify; strip referral bonus
45UCD 19aayoushrajregmi@gmail.com200.8%HighDisqualify
22Edan Foleytm2562@bath.ac.uk180.8%HighDisqualify as alt
28Foleynicjanto97@gmail.com80.3%HighDisqualify as alt
21Foleynvj26@bath.ac.uk70.3%HighDisqualify as alt
7Marko Petekmarko.petek@nib.si60.3%HighDisqualify as alt
15Southcombe Labmaeve.janecka@balliol.ox.ac.uk60.3%HighDisqualify as alt
64Mara Artibanindwr0353@ox.ac.uk50.2%HighDisqualify as alt
41Voolstrakim-isabelle.mayer@uni-konstanz.de50.2%HighDisqualify as alt
40Voolstramelanie.doerr@uni-konstanz.de40.2%HighDisqualify as alt
27Dr. Edan Foleyme881@bath.ac.uk30.1%HighDisqualify as alt
33Jen Southcombejen.southcombe@wrh.ox.ac.uk20.1%HighStrip referral bonus; disqualify confirmed alts
66Mara Artibanieleanor.shuttleworth@wrh.ox.ac.uk20.1%HighDisqualify
73MGmylee.graham@duke.edu20.1%HighDisqualify as alt
53Gkboggarapuvenkateswarrso@gmail.com20.1%HighDisqualify
8Marko Petekcarissa.bleker@nib.si20.1%HighDisqualify as alt
16Palouzannatulanika7@gmail.com20.1%HighDisqualify as alt
34dr. jen southcombeisa.vanvugt@wrh.ox.ac.uk10.0%HighDisqualify as alt
49Pi**<musfirah.mansoor@ucdconnect.ie10.0%HighDisqualify as alt
32Jen Southcombemaeve.janecka@wrh.ox.ac.uk10.0%HighDisqualify as alt
54SShruthik2213@gmail.com10.0%HighDisqualify as alt
63Jenkell7075@ox.ac.uk10.0%HighDisqualify as alt
85Edan Foleyttmccabe@ualberta.ca00.0%HighDisqualify as alt
88Dr. Foleyyk540@bath.ac.uk00.0%HighDisqualify as alt
89Edan Foleyef796@bath.ac.uk00.0%HighDisqualify as alt
92Dr Edan Foleyt.garcia11234@gmail.com00.0%HighDisqualify as alt
80Kirralise Hansfordkirralise.hansford@wrh.ox.ac.uk482.0%ReviewManual review
31Christian Beckerluba.maslej@wrh.ox.ac.uk140.6%ReviewManual review
26Elina Laantomeeri.fm.niemi@jyu.fi100.4%ReviewManual review
1Farhanm.farhan@daanfr.com20.1%ReviewDo not disqualify unless confirmed as a contestant
58Farhandullfarhan@gmail.com10.0%ReviewDo not disqualify unless confirmed as a contestant

Priority disqualify list

IDNameEmailTierActionTop flags
14Plant Microbe Interaction Groupsuzan.bhadhury@ucdconnect.ieCriticalDisqualifyEXTREME_VOLUME, IMPOSSIBLE_GAP, BOT_CADENCE, BURST_10M…
46Batmansinghabhi993@gmail.comCriticalDisqualifyELEVATED_VOLUME, IMPOSSIBLE_GAP, BURST_10M, FAKE_NAME
52Skprdeepakprasad@gmail.comCriticalDisqualifyIMPOSSIBLE_GAP, FAKE_NAME
44FDboggarapusaisushma@gmail.comHighDisqualify; strip referral bonusHIGH_VOLUME, BOT_CADENCE, BURST_10M, FAKE_NAME…
35Jen Southcomberebecca.dragovic@wrh.ox.ac.ulHighDisqualifyHIGH_VOLUME, BOT_CADENCE, BURST_10M, TYPO_EMAIL…
18Foleycm2493@bath.ac.ukHighDisqualify; strip referral bonusELEVATED_VOLUME, REF_FARM, DUPLICATE_NAME
37Voolstra labluigi.colin@uni-konstanz.deHighDisqualify; strip referral bonusELEVATED_VOLUME, REF_FARM, DUPLICATE_NAME
45UCD 19aayoushrajregmi@gmail.comHighDisqualifyELEVATED_VOLUME, BOT_CADENCE, BURST_10M, FAKE_NAME
22Edan Foleytm2562@bath.ac.ukHighDisqualify as altREFERRED_BY_SAME_NAME, DUPLICATE_NAME
28Foleynicjanto97@gmail.comHighDisqualify as altREFERRED_BY_SAME_NAME, DUPLICATE_NAME
21Foleynvj26@bath.ac.ukHighDisqualify as altREFERRED_BY_SAME_NAME, DUPLICATE_NAME
7Marko Petekmarko.petek@nib.siHighDisqualify as altDUPLICATE_NAME
15Southcombe Labmaeve.janecka@balliol.ox.ac.ukHighDisqualify as altDUPLICATE_NAME
64Mara Artibanindwr0353@ox.ac.ukHighDisqualify as altDUPLICATE_NAME
41Voolstrakim-isabelle.mayer@uni-konstanz.deHighDisqualify as altREFERRED_BY_SAME_NAME, DUPLICATE_NAME
40Voolstramelanie.doerr@uni-konstanz.deHighDisqualify as altREFERRED_BY_SAME_NAME, DUPLICATE_NAME
27Dr. Edan Foleyme881@bath.ac.ukHighDisqualify as altREFERRED_BY_SAME_NAME, DUPLICATE_NAME
33Jen Southcombejen.southcombe@wrh.ox.ac.ukHighStrip referral bonus; disqualify confirmed altsREF_FARM, DUPLICATE_NAME
66Mara Artibanieleanor.shuttleworth@wrh.ox.ac.ukHighDisqualifySUSPICIOUS_GAP, DUPLICATE_NAME
73MGmylee.graham@duke.eduHighDisqualify as altFAKE_NAME
53Gkboggarapuvenkateswarrso@gmail.comHighDisqualifySUSPICIOUS_GAP, FAKE_NAME
8Marko Petekcarissa.bleker@nib.siHighDisqualify as altREFERRED_BY_SAME_NAME, DUPLICATE_NAME
16Palouzannatulanika7@gmail.comHighDisqualify as altFAKE_NAME
34dr. jen southcombeisa.vanvugt@wrh.ox.ac.ukHighDisqualify as altDUPLICATE_NAME
49Pi**<musfirah.mansoor@ucdconnect.ieHighDisqualify as altFAKE_NAME
32Jen Southcombemaeve.janecka@wrh.ox.ac.ukHighDisqualify as altDUPLICATE_NAME
54SShruthik2213@gmail.comHighDisqualify as altFAKE_NAME
63Jenkell7075@ox.ac.ukHighDisqualify as altFAKE_NAME, REFERRED_BY_SAME_NAME, DUPLICATE_NAME
85Edan Foleyttmccabe@ualberta.caHighDisqualify as altZERO_PLAY_ALT, DUPLICATE_NAME
88Dr. Foleyyk540@bath.ac.ukHighDisqualify as altZERO_PLAY_ALT, DUPLICATE_NAME
89Edan Foleyef796@bath.ac.ukHighDisqualify as altZERO_PLAY_ALT, DUPLICATE_NAME
92Dr Edan Foleyt.garcia11234@gmail.comHighDisqualify as altZERO_PLAY_ALT, DUPLICATE_NAME