Larry Sanger , editor-in-chief of online encyclopedia Citizendium , and a co-founder of Wikipedia who quit the project in 2002 , called Essjay 's response `` a defiant non-apology '' and elsewhere stated Essjay 's actions as `` identity fraud . '' Larry Sanger , founding editor-in-chief of online encyclopedia Citizendium , and a co-founder of Wikipedia who left the project in 2002 , called Essjay 's response `` a defiant non-apology '' and elsewhere characterized Essjay 's actions as `` identity fraud . ''