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.
The prospect of a lasting peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia has gained renewed significance as Armenia approaches a pre-election period marked b...
In a parliamentary vote on Wednesday (22 April), Turkish lawmakers approved legislation designed to protect minors from harmful online content. Pas...
The Middle East conflict is pushing up energy prices and feeding into UK food costs, with businesses warning the impact is reaching consumers throu...
Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said it's installing software on its employees computers to capture keystrokes and mouse movement...
Armenia’s Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan says progress in talks with Azerbaijan is helping the country manage economic and securi...
In a parliamentary vote on Wednesday (22 April), Turkish lawmakers approved legislation designed to protect minors from harmful online content. Passed after lengthy deliberations, the measure includes an outright ban on social media use by children under 15.
We are not witnessing another cyclical downturn or a temporary geopolitical disturbance. What we are living through is far more profound: a systemic recalibration of the global order. Three long-standing assumptions have quietly collapsed.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 23rd of April, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Türkiye is making efforts to revive negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and bring together the leaders of the warring sides, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in a meeting in Ankara, the Turkish presidency said on Wednesday.
The U.S. military has intercepted at least three Iranian-flagged tankers in Asian waters and is redirecting them away from their positions near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday, exclusively to Reuters.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards targeted three vessels, seizing two of them for alleged maritime violations and transferring them to Iranian shores, as U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington is extending its ceasefire with Iran until Tehran submits a proposal.
Two local trains collided head-on north of Copenhagen on Thursday (23 April), injuring 17 people, five of them critically, according to emergency services.
The U.S. military is redirecting at least three Iranian-flagged tankers after intercepting them in Asian waters near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Tehran said U.S. breaches, blockades and threats are undermining “genuine negotiations.”
The European Union is preparing its 20th round of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine. The measures are close to being approved, after earlier delays linked to energy concerns in Slovakia and Hungary eased following repairs to the Druzhba oil pipeline.
The prospect of a lasting peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia has gained renewed significance as Armenia approaches a pre-election period marked by relative stability.
In a parliamentary vote on Wednesday (22 April), Turkish lawmakers approved legislation designed to protect minors from harmful online content. Passed after lengthy deliberations, the measure includes an outright ban on social media use by children under 15.
Armenia’s Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan says progress in talks with Azerbaijan is helping the country manage economic and security pressures as regional conflicts and alliances shift.
Residents in central Gaza are preparing to vote in municipal elections this weekend, marking the first ballot in the Strip since 2006. The vote in Deir al-Balah is being watched closely as a rare indication of public sentiment, including towards Hamas.
United Nations experts have urged the Indian authorities to release Jagtar Singh Johal, who was arrested in Punjab in late 2017 and has remained in prison since. Allegations have been made that he was tortured and threatened with death in custody.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment