This has happend twice in the game i'm playing right now since updating the game to 1.0x. After I capture a planet the game grants me total influence over the entire map for one or two turns. A dregin planet way on the other side of the galaxy flipped over to me, long before I even met them.
I have made a safe with the bug in effect so if anybody from Stardock is interested just let me know.
Greets,