I noticed that in the code as well while trying to figure out how the calculations were being made for Effective Hex, APY%, etc. and thanks to looking up information for this post so as to be as accurate as possible, I believe I found answers to both our wonders.

While reviewing the Java applet, scouring the hundreds of lines of code to find the mathematical equations I too had noticed the bit of code you are referring to and subsequently looked up the “if, else” return address on etherscan.io, as I’m sure you have. But, you seemed more focused on the figuring out the hashed addresses as being “targets” rather than consider what HEX has already openly mentioned regarding filtering out certain addresses or individuals from having a claim (referring to section about “whales”.

But to entertain your concerns, perhaps this may help from the GitHub of the HEX contract:

• Line 229 refers to the “offending code” you speak of that seems to determine where the referral credit should go to.
• Line 115 includes the keccak256 function which derives the address to verify if the address and balance are part of the Merkle tree and validate the Merkle tree proof.
• The return of address 0xA57C830E34Ea9010F14626f22ffA0d868d89fB7d appears to handle a part of the HEX coin transfers
• Presumably, it’s checking if the origins of those coins are from addresses stemming from fake blocks or from the whales that he had mentioned multiple times he would not allow to have a claim.
• Otherwise line 23 seems to help explain the whole reading your cookies ordeal.

But, I’m no programmer and I could be completely wrong, honestly. Perhaps if you review the GitHub for yourself, you can help me better understand something if I’m wrong, because I’m literally drawing conclusions with very little experience with or understanding of Solidity. Or, look directly at the HEX contract itself which the site runs off of (and for others not as coding literate, they can review the HEX contract in Layman’s Terms.)

Otherwise, on etherscan.io, lines 2484 to 2533 of the HEX contract shows that if there’s no referral address, it goes to the origin, and that hasn’t been hidden or kept from being made know, as it’s states on the Hex.Win website, the FAQs page, and all his YouTube videos just to name a few.

But, it’s great to be observant and diligent in warning others what you feel is dishonest because ironically, I came across your article out of a shared perception of suspicion. And, while looking for answers and in the hopes of explaining why I myself was looking into the code, I ended up figuring out how to address your concerns as if coming to play devil’s advocate and discovering the answer to my own.

[Edit: In putting together this response, I eventually found the answer in the coding and it had been revealed to me that it was to place a cap of 200% bonus]