Türkiye has detained 16 people in eight provinces on Friday (13 February), including Istanbul and Ankara, in an investigation into alleged money laundering tied to content shared on the platform OnlyFans, seizing assets worth about 300 million lira ($6.9 million), prosecutors said.
The probe, led by a department investigating terrorism financing and money laundering crimes, targeted 25 suspects and two companies, according to the Istanbul chief public prosecutor’s office.
Prosecutors said suspects generated income by sharing explicit content on social media and directing users to paid platforms, including OnlyFans and private messaging channels such as Telegram.
Authorities said 10 properties, 14 vehicles and two companies linked to the suspects were identified and seized. The total value of the assets was estimated at around 300 million lira ($6.9 million).
OnlyFans is a London-based subscription content platform launched in 2016 by British entrepreneur Tim Stokely. It allows creators to earn money directly from subscribers through paid posts, messages and live streams.
While it hosts a range of content, the platform became widely known for adult material, operating on a model where users pay monthly fees or tips to access creators’ content.
The platform has been blocked in Türkiye since 7 June 2023, following an Istanbul court ruling that it hosted content deemed contrary to public morality and family values.
Despite the ban, suspects were found to have accessed the site using virtual private networks (VPNs), prosecutors said.
According to the statement, the alleged proceeds were laundered through the purchase of assets as well as investments in bitcoin and gold.
The prosecutor’s office said the investigation was ongoing.
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