Apple has pulled Dash, a popular API documentation resource, from the Mac and iOS App Stores, claiming that developer Bogdan Popescu manipulated reviews to get more downloads.
On Wednesday Popescu received a notification that his iTunes Connect account was being shut down for "fraudulent activity," according to MacRumors. The company is said to have refused to elaborate at first, but after Dash's removal gained some public attention, Apple eventually told Popescu he was accused of manipulating reviews, for instance by paying for positive ones.
Popescu has denied any wrongdoing, but said that Apple informed him its decision is final and can't be appealed.
In unusual executive-level involvement, Apple's worldwide marketing head Phil Schiller blamed Dash's removal on "repeated fraudulent activity" in an email response to a person called Matthew Eis.
Apple has been known to reverse course on App Store removals if it later determines that a mistake was made. Because Dash is no longer being sold by Apple, though, the controversial reviews are no longer visible. Developers can still buy Dash as a direct download.