Parents of Florida OnlyFans model arrested in connection with her murder charge. What is OnlyFans?

OnlyFans is in the news again, but not for racy shenanigans.

Parents at a Christian school in Tavares are complaining that one of the fellow moms is dropping off and picking up her kids in a car with a large rear window decal advertising her adult OnlyFans account. Fox News reported that Liberty Christian Preparatory School has asked Michelle Cline to remove the sticker or not come on campus anymore.

More seriously, the parents of Courtney Clenney, a Florida OnlyFans model who was arrested in 2022 for reportedly stabbing her boyfriend to death in Miami, were arrested Tuesday in Austin, Texas, and accused of trying to hack into his laptop computer after the fact, according to law enforcement agencies.

Clenney, 28, who posted under the name Courtney Tailor on social media and had two million followers on Instagram, reportedly stabbed her boyfriend Christian Obumseli, 27, in April 2022. She claimed self-defense, although the arrest warrant noted a history of violence between the two and the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office later released a large amount of new evidence including video of the couple fighting when Clenney accused Obumseli of cheating on her and can be seen hitting him over a dozen times.

OnlyFans also has made recent headlines from teachers relying on it after losing their jobs (or losing their jobs because they were on OnlyFans), to former U.S. Rep. George Santos getting in trouble for spending campaign money on OnlyFans accounts, to a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse chancellor getting fired for running an OnlyFans account of explicit videos with his wife, to rapper Snoop Dogg reportedly turning down a $100 million deal with the company. So what is it?

What is OnlyFans?

OnlyFans, started in 2016 in London, is a social media network that offers an online content subscription service. Creators can earn money from "fans" who pay a monthly membership fee to see their exclusive content.

But some other sites do that. OnlyFans became famous for allowing sexually explicit content.

While it initially got a huge boost from stars like Cardi B and Bella Thorne, the site has become synonymous with adult entertainment and amateur models who seek to set up their own content empire while working out of their homes. OnlyFans models can earn thousands and even millions from subscriptions and from tips on specific pictures and videos or during live chat sessions.

It's not all NSFW, as every article about the site hastens to say. Musicians, artists, MMA fighters, cosplayers, athletes, chefs, lifestyle and travel influencers, DJs and fitness coaches, and anyone with a passionate interest people want to see might have an OnlyFans following. Last year Mexican diver Diego Balleza opened an OnlyFans account to help pay for his Olympics training.

The top earner for 2023 was Cardi B, whose non-explicit account earned an estimated $9.43 million, according to News Direct, with rapper Tyga behind her at $7.69 million. Rapper and Dr. Phil viral star Danielle Bregoli, who performs under the name Bhad Bhabie, shattered an OnlyFans record in 2022 by earning $1 million in her first six hours on the site.

But the vast majority of the content is adult.

OnlyFans use surged during the pandemic as people out of work turned to new opportunities. As of May 2023, OnlyFans CEO Ami Gan told Business Insider they had 3 million registered creators and 220 million registered consumers. OnlyFans was in the top 30 websites visited in the U.S. in 2023.

Didn't OnlyFans try to stop allowing adult content?

Well, they tried.

In August 2021 the company that became famous for sexually explicit content announced it was going to remove sexually explicit content. OnlyFans was looking for funding from outside investors and was hoping to clean up their act after requests from banking partners and companies that handle financial transactions.

Reaction across all social media from the content creators who felt betrayed and thrown under the bus after the company benefitted from their efforts was fierce and immediate. Within a week the company backtracked and said it would not move forward with the new policy.

Why were OnlyFans model Courtney Clenny's parents arrested?

Kim and Deborah Clenney were arrested Tuesday on out-of-state felony charges and held without bond.

Kim, Deborah and Courtney have been charged with unauthorized access of a computer, computer system, or electronic device, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. TMZ reported that according to their sources, Kim Clenney discovered the laptop while cleaning out the couple's shared things, accessed it with a password Courtney provided, and then handed it over to the defense legal team.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: What is OnlyFans? Courtney Clenney's parents arrested for tampering