As someone in production and logistics I'll attempt to try explain this a different way. Normally when a large run of an item is manufactured, a good 10% or more extra can be made as "attic stock" for a ton of legit reasons from first runs to try a new mold to tweaks and adjustments on the assembly line. Now, this attic stock costs money in labor, materials, transport, utilities and storage. It is possible after a certain amount of time, these items are sold off to recoup these costs. Now, in this case weather they were first offered to MM, or if its in a contract or if the factory does what it likes who knows, but the best customers are always returning customers and if the factory went rogue, they would loose repeat business. I suspect there is a middle man in here somewhere who probably purchased the excess stock and sold it off. Unless there is a statement from MM ( whos website is rarely updated) its just drama, rumour and gossip, but I honestly would not buy a model from a shady source.