WordPress.org is way too big to be a one-man show. I am absolutely certain that Mullenweg has nothing to do with plugin or theme validation, account creation or even packaging new WordPress versions, but also certain that he can tell his employees what to do. Hell, all of that should be automated by now.
He wouldn't be able to do any of that with volunteers that aren't operating under his authority.
I don't think there's a difference between the two, even if it was WordPress Foundation who claimed control, it's all Mullenweg's for-profit company that performs the work because Mullenweg's employees are all Automattic, and Mullenweg is at the head of all of it.
He wouldn't be able to do any of that with volunteers that aren't operating under his authority.