MLS listing sniped by wholesaler and expired - Why?

[Adam H.]

A recent listing on came up in MLS, "cash or hard money only". Within a day it was set to "expired". Later, I found out that it was sold through a wholesaler who asked the listing agent to expire the original listing. Can somebody help explain what likely happened and why?

I have so many questions, I'm not even sure where to start. Why was it listed at all? How did the wholesaler get the listing away from an agent? And why would the owner then agree to wholesale?

The only scenario that makes sense is that the wholesaler went to the owner and offered higher than the 6% commission, cash, and the owner accepted and canceled the contract with their agent. Is that even possible?