Football Referee-Turned-Influencer Hit With Fresh Financial Blow As Instagram Account Blocked In Turkey By Court Order

By Ajda EnderEmergency & Crime NewsSep 17, 2026

Minute Read0Comment235View

Story By Marija Stojkoska /Harrisons

News Editor Ajda Ender /Harrisons

A former football referee whose bikini photos on Instagram were branded “obscene” by Turkish officials has suffered another financial blow after her account was blocked by a court order in her home country,

Elif Karaarslan poses in undated photo. As part of an obscenity investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, access to the accounts of 184 social media influencers, including former referee Elif Karaarslan, has been blocked. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (@elifkaraarslan_17/Harrisons)

The ruling cuts her off from access to a subscription service that had earned her almost GBP 30,000 a month.

The restriction on Elif Karaarslan was imposed in Istanbul, Turkey, on 7th September as part of an obscenity investigation being conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Picture shows former football referee Elif Karaarslan. She was released after being detained as part of a drug and prostitution investigation. Note: Private picture. (@elifkaraarslan_17, Newsflash/NX)

A total of 184 social media influencers had their accounts restricted in Turkey, with several well-known names included alongside Karaarslan.

Authorities said the affected accounts had been using Instagram’s subscription system to generate significant income, with the latest restrictions limiting access to those accounts and the revenue generated through them.

Karaarslan was reportedly earning nearly TRY two million (GBP 30,530), in gross income each month through almost 25,000 subscribers.

The latest development comes just months after the former referee was arrested in April during a wider investigation in Turkey involving allegations of drug use and prostitution offences concerning celebrities and social media figures.

Karaarslan was among 19 people detained during raids on entertainment venues in Istanbul on 11th April, with eight suspects, including her, later remanded in custody.

She was officially released from prison on 1st July after spending more than two months in custody.

The case had attracted particular attention because Karaarslan was questioned over allegedly obscene or pornographic Instagram content, which she maintained never went beyond bikini photographs.

Elif Karaarslan poses in undated photo. She was reported to have earned over TRY 1.8million from her Instagram followers. Note: private photo taken from social media. (@elifkaraarslan_17/Newsflash/NX)

She reportedly told investigators that Instagram did not permit nudity and that people had willingly paid to access her exclusive content.

Turkish media reported that subscribers paid around USD 2 each, with nearly 25,000 people signing up before the subscription service was cancelled.

The platform had reportedly generated around TRY 2 million.

Karaarslan denied wrongdoing over her social media activity and rejected allegations that she had produced pornography, insisting that the content was consensual and limited to bikini images.

The investigation also included allegations of drug use, with Turkish reports saying forensic tests on blood, urine and hair samples allegedly returned positive results for cocaine and methamphetamine.

Karaarslan had already been banned from refereeing before the criminal investigation after the Turkish Football Federation cancelled her refereeing licence following allegations linked to her social media activity, a decision she has challenged.

Following her release in June, she posted messages on social media, including a phrase translated as: “May God not let anyone fall into this situation.”