I think the main factor that drives the alternative model is that a lot of people with jobs that could theoretically be undertaken by offshore agencies advertis

I think the main factor that drives the alternative model is that a lot of people with jobs that could theoretically be undertaken by offshore agencies advertise for an onshore individual (sometimes because they have very strong reasons not to want to offshore, but also sometimes because they haven't considered it). So there's a bigger market of better paying gigs out there for a "candidate" than an "offshore agency" (considerably better if they can actually deliver the work). Not that this particular entity seems to have had much ability... In the grey area, there's still a big difference between a liason taking on a load of freelance contracts for the farm under his real name and intermediating comms without ever mentioning there's actually six other people he's never met doing most of the work and identity theft to take on remote full time roles involving work they probably can't handle.