u/INTERNET_POLICE_MAN wrote (the comment Michael replied to):
## History so far: - In 2009, Novati joined Facebook as a software engineer, progressing rapidly to the level of Principal Engineer (E7). He has publicly recounted a story about a game of Risk in which he deliberately betrayed Mark Zuckerberg, framing it as an example of “strateg
u/michaelnovati replied · · edited ★ FEATURED
PART 7
1. How do you reconcile your position as a Reddit moderator for [r/codingbootcamp](https://www.reddit.com/r/codingbootcamp/) with your financial interest as co-founder of Formation, a direct competitor in the same industry (at one time, at least)?
My company is not a direct competitor and was founder after our founder ran an actual bootcamp and say more opportunity helping bootcamp grads from all bootcamps instead of competing. We in fact have positive relationships with Codesmith's direct competitors Rithm (now closed) and Launch School (who recommends us to their grads).
1. Have you disclosed this conflict of interest to Reddit administrators or the community you moderate?
I'm transparent about who I am on here, I use my real name, and I was very active here for a year or two with the same content I have now before I became a mod.
1. Between 2024 and 2025, you posted hundreds of negative comments about Codesmith: why has no other bootcamp received the same level of scrutiny?
In volume no... a lot of the comments are spiraling arguments. But I know Codesmith, BloomTech, Launch School and Rithm very well and I spoke about them all, but if Codesmith is the 'best bootcamp' then its fair to use them as an example often. I post updates and reports about a number of bootcamps.
1. On what evidence do you base your repeated claims of “fraud” or “deception” by Codesmith students and staff?
I didn't repeatedly claim fraud, I don't want to use legal terms incorrectly. I claimed that it's my opinion that it's wrong to sign letters of reference for 4 to 12+ months of 'software engineer' work at a charity called OSLabs when people did 3-4 weeks projects.
I have a direct copy of such a letter and evidence of staff telling people they sign off on their entire time at Codesmith for these 3-4 week projects.
I have evidence that Codesmith staff control the charity and the projects within them and have been directed by OSLabs a number of times to Codesmith staff.
I have evidence of students having issues with background checks and Codesmith staff responding to help sort it out.