There is no doubt there is heavy vote-manipulation going on at r/bitcoin.
There is no doubt that the moderation policies on r/bitcoin is heavily skewed and causes group-think and echo-chamber effect.
There is no doubt that the bias on r/btc is heavy skewed due to echo-chamber effect, group-think, vote patterns (and, probably, vote manipulation).
Apropos conspiracy theories, If I was in the PR consulting business and someone would give me the assignment "please, do what you can to kill bitcoin", here is what I would do ... I would do whatever possible to divide the Bitcoin community into two camps, and to continuously manipulate people on both sides of the schism into believing their camp is the only right camp and that the other camp is totally wrong on anything.