Yes, I too happen to know some research groups which are organized rather bluntly as not much more than citation factories for the researchers who are pulling i

Yes, I too happen to know some research groups which are organized rather bluntly as not much more than citation factories for the researchers who are pulling in all the funding. Papers produced within the group are cross-cited with the express purpose in mind, and the 'middlemen' get their names in the papers without having anything to do with the actual research. They have amazing impact metrics, as can be expected.