Turkey detains 16 people in OnlyFans investigation, seizes $6.9 million in assets

Turkish authorities on Friday detained 16 individuals and confiscated assets valued at around 300 million lira ($6.9 million) in a probe into alleged money laundering connected to content on the OnlyFans platform, according to prosecutors, Reuters reported.

The probe, led by a department investigating terrorism financing and money laundering crimes, targeted 25 suspects and two companies in operations across eight provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara and Antalya, the Istanbul chief public prosecutor’s office said.

Prosecutors stated that the suspects earned money by posting explicit content on social media and directing users to paid platforms, including OnlyFans and private messaging services like Telegram.

OnlyFans has been blocked in Turkey since June 7, 2023, following an Istanbul court ruling that the platform hosted content considered contrary to public morality and family values, Reuters reported.

Despite the ban, suspects were found to have accessed the platform via virtual private networks (VPNs), prosecutors said.

According to the statement, the suspects laundered proceeds through the purchase of assets, as well as investments in bitcoin and gold.

Authorities traced 10 properties, 14 vehicles, and two companies connected to the suspects, with the total assets valued at approximately 300 million lira.

The prosecutor’s office added that the investigation is still ongoing.

(With inputs from Reuters)