He bribed people to like him

That's certainly one take. How about I provide another. Let's say I offend you and I work hard to make it up to you to show that I'm genuinely sorry and want to make restitution. Is that also bribery? No, it's a demonstration of genuine care for you.

Couldn't that also be an explanation for Paul's actions here?

He said he was not lying

You'll have to point out the passages.

Here's one that appears clear (2 Corinthians 12:16, from one scholars agree that he wrote):

Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!

If we read the surrounding context, it doesn't sound like someone who is manipulative (14-19):

Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?

Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!

Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you?

I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?

Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening.

Yeah, he throws a bit of a fit before this point, but he also points out that he didn't take money from them and he doesn't intend to, because he cares more about their well-being than money. His goal here seems to be to compare himself to other "false Apostles", who presumably were trying to compete with his authority.

Now, I don't personally think this is a very effective way to go about it, but we also don't know what those "false Apostles" (2 Cor. 11:13) were doing. Maybe they were extorting people and Paul wanted to show that he didn't do anything like that, so he's different. Idk, maybe this was a legitimate way to clarify things and not a weird humblebrag-fest. Regardless, what I see is a message of love, with some weird self-aggrandizement that may or may not be explained if we had more context.