New Tack said
I am glad that someone picked up the pieces and started building the website back up.
 
Here's my speculation on what happened (take all of this with a massive grain of salt):
-Star Wars mentioned that the admin couldn't always be available because he had troubles with an illness
-Admin was trying to find someone to appoint as secondary admin (to continue his legacy?), but I think nobody stepped up
-As a result, (and, assuming, for a lack of time), he signed a contract with some long-term hosting server, so that the website could stay up for as long as possible after he would disappear
-The last downtime might have been because of server transfer. He brought the website back up, saw that it was running, and left it at that
-Nobody thought about backing up the forums (for better or for worse)
-When the admin was gone and didn't login anymore, the new server owner changed the website to the dear phishing dog we've come to love.
 
I very probably got some stuff wrong. It could also be that the admin did all of that himself and (still assuming he had some terminal illness) gave the money to his family or whatever.
Personally I don't blame him because the website was a massive legal and moral powderkeg...
...With all of that said! If someone has backups of the old website, do let me know.
  

Thank you for this post. I didn't know that the old admin was no longer around. That is a pity. May he rest in peace.