For starters, I am pretty new to the series... watched the whole anime and tried to get some parts of the succession war arc through reviews... please don't be too harsh if I am wrong (I know I may be overreaching on many of this)... just let me know... also forgive me for being all over the place...
.
After the Sarasa backstory, the Kurta Massacre seems so impossible for them... not to mention the other odd contradictions like why do they even need the eyes in the first place... we see they earn a lot already via Kortopi's Gallery Fakes... I think the scene of Hisoka not knowing Kortopi's nen ability when he told Kurapika about the Troupe selling the things they stole not long after is eluding to it... They're against the mafia considering thats the whole point of Yorknew, now with context of the Sarasa Backstory, it could be their way of getting back on the mafia groups who kidnaps and traffics people from Meteor City... So I really don't see any benefits on making the something valuable like the scarlet eyes circulate around the mafia. Plus if they really wanna use the scarlet eyes to sell, then they just need one pair and then Kortopi could just make a fake they can sell... (I guess you can argue that Kortopi probably didn't join until after, but I don't think that was confirmed either... so who knows)
.
Also I think they revealed Sarasa's kidnappers were murdered 10 years ago and that nobody knows who could the culprit be... now this contradicts two things;
1. Chrollo is currently 28, so 10 years means he was 18... but the Kurta massacre was when he was 21... so people saying its to bribe someone for information on Sarasa's murderers makes no sense... (Could be for a different mission? Who knows...)
2. They didn't leave a note that atleast could pin that the culprits are from Meteor City... for someone who stole one of their personal friends, leaving a note there would've been the most obvious...
.
Also! Also... they revealed Carne Levare... a tradition of the Kakin that takes over a randomly picked village to indulge in horrific ways... (Coincidence? I think NOT!! Hehe sorry, had to...)
.
They even have Tserriednich who has the so many Kurta eyes in his possession and has what seems to be Pairo's head... He's even connected to the Hai-ly family... a mafia group...
.
Like I will still say they definitely aren't innocent... even had confirmed a run-in with a Kurta that lead to a fight... but given Uvo's memory of the incident being foggy, it contradicts the note that implies its an act of revenge. He doesn't even give any reaction that implies it was for vengence...
.
Speaking of Uvo, his conversation with Chrollo about a Judas in the group kinda debunks that the Kurta Massacre was for the status of being feared... Uvo said he knows no one within the group that wants money, fame nor status...
.
All of this feels like hints that maybe the Phantom Troupe was not the main culprits... My guess, the Kakin (or the Hai-ly) somehow tricked them into disarming the Kurtas for the Carne Levare... something Tserriednich would definitely attending for their scarlet eyes... tho how it leads to all of this is speculative...