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The code was shared under a GPL license. If the license allows you to reuse, fork, etc, then it makes no sense to accuse you of "stealing".

Obviously there's more to it here as they've also taken over the plugin's reviews, users, etc, but the code is GPL.

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Violating the terms (gpl) and taking over the name/identity/accreditation are what's stealing. Not merely using or redistributing.

It's not only stealing, it's an even worse, exceptionally low form of stealing when something is already free and yet you still choose to steal it.

Open source is open source. To my best knowledge I believe its stealing if you make use of resource an individual or group of people came together to develop and add minor adjustments to it and then put it up for sale. That's stealing.

But if you willingly able to contribute back to the community with between 20 - 40% of profit generated from the open source used, is and will be considered fair play.

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