Fatma Soydaş jailed after staged 'Zebani Efe' influencer scam

Turkish social‑media personality Fatma Soydaş was sentenced to prison after prosecutors concluded her high‑profile collaboration with TikTok star Efe Beycan, known as “Zebani Efe”, was a staged public‑relations stunt. The pair announced a romantic partnership in July 2026, but investigations revealed the relationship was fabricated to boost their online visibility and subscription revenues.

Soydaş ran an Instagram VIP subscription service that charged 59.99 TL per month, attracting more than 18,000 members and generating over 1 million TL in gross earnings. Prosecutors said she used provocative content, including manipulated religious imagery, to attract paying subscribers. When questioned, Soydaş replied, “Ben zaten kapalı bir insanım, dini değerleri aşağılamam, o fotoğraflar montaj, yapay zeka ürünü,” and earlier boasted, “Benim hesabım değil mi? İstediğimi atarım, ayağımı da atabilirim!”

Efe Beycan, born in 2005 in İzmir, worked as a digital content creator and publicly converted to Islam before undertaking the Umrah pilgrimage. He also faced scrutiny for the deception, but the primary legal action centered on Soydaş’s alleged exploitation of her audience and misuse of religious symbols for profit.