The secret behind the connection between Dilan Polat and other influencers' beauty centers has been solved
As Turkey continues to discuss the money laundering and tax evasion investigations launched against social media influencers, the secret behind the connection between influencers and beauty centers has been solved.
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Following the arrest of Dilan Polat and Engin Polat, a couple who frequently made headlines with their luxurious lifestyles, on charges of money laundering and tax evasion, investigations into social media influencers continue.
THE SECRET OF THE CONNECTION SOLVED
While it has drawn attention that most of these influencers own beauty centers, two questions that have been on the public's mind have found their answers. It was a matter of curiosity why these networks had influencers do this work and why the money was laundered through beauty centers.
WHY WERE BEAUTY CENTERS AND INFLUENCERS USED?
Speaking to Show Haber, Lawyer Oğuzhan Aslan said, "An exception was introduced for social media content creators. The law stated: 'Those with earnings of 1.9 million liras for the year 2023 do not need to pay taxes or issue invoices.' Money laundering networks took advantage of this, making it appear as though the laundered money—a very small portion of which was deducted as tax—was earned through social media, thus introducing it into the system and laundering it."
INVOICES ISSUED TO IMAGINARY PEOPLE
The biggest common feature of the influencers under investigation is that almost all of them opened beauty centers. Openings that started with a single branch gave way to dozens and franchises. Answering the question of why influencers opened beauty centers, Lawyer Oğuzhan Aslan stated that it is unclear how many customers visit hair salons and how much is charged.
Aslan said, "By creating the appearance of having multiple branches, these individuals resorted to money laundering by issuing invoices in the names of people who did not actually visit, which we call 'fake invoices'."
Regulations were also introduced for those centers 2 years ago. Aslan said, "As long as their annual earnings did not exceed 220 thousand TL and they met other conditions in the law, the relevant hair salons were exempted from taxes. Money laundering networks, knowing this, showed their laundered money as if it were income earned through the hair salon and introduced it into the system without taxation. You can calculate that a money laundering network with 50 branches could introduce 11 million TL into the system without taxation."