Is Ashley Benson Seriously Recruiting Girls for OnlyFans?

Ashley Benson, the actress widely recognized for her role on Pretty Little Liars, is facing growing scrutiny online following allegations that she may have been involved in recruiting women for OnlyFans-related talent agencies through Instagram direct messages.

The claims emerged after TikTok creator Leslie Golden (@lesliehannahbelle) posted a video describing a message she says she received from Benson’s verified Instagram account. According to Golden, the message began with a compliment but shifted into what appeared to be a professional pitch offering to connect her with a “team” Benson allegedly works with in the creator space.

Screenshots show language praising her appearance and suggesting she had “a lot of potential,” followed by an offer to introduce her to management if she was open to exploring new opportunities. Leslie Golden stated that she initially believed the message might be personal or flirtatious. She later said that after sharing the message privately, multiple women told her they had received nearly identical messages and believed the outreach was related to OnlyFans recruitment.

She publicly commented under one of Ashley Benson’s Instagram posts, expressing disappointment and questioning whether an agency had been allowed to use the actress’s account to contact potential recruits. As of publication, Benson has not publicly addressed the allegations, nor clarified whether her account is managed by a third party.

Now, keep in mind, not only is Ashley Benson a Hollywood actress,s but she's also married to Brandon Davis, who himself is reported to be worth upwards of $50 million. He is the grandson of the late billionaire industrialist Marvin Davis.

This, of course, led people to ask why Ashley Benson is doing this if she herself is worth millions and her husband is worth even more. She can't be that hard up for money.

As the discussion gained traction, other social media users began sharing similar experiences. Several commenters claimed they also received comparable messages and initially believed Ashley Benson was contacting them personally. Some users suggested that other influencers and public figures may engage in similar outreach.

The controversy has prompted broader discussion of recruitment tactics in the OnlyFans management industry, particularly practices that critics describe as deceptive or exploitative.

OnlyFans management agencies emerged as the platform grew rapidly, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. These agencies often offer services such as content planning, posting schedules, fan messaging, marketing, and revenue optimization. In exchange, agencies typically take a percentage of a creator’s earnings, which can range widely depending on the contract.

Recruitment is a central part of the business model. Agencies actively seek new creators, often focusing on individuals with existing social media followings. Critics allege that some agencies use aggressive outreach methods, including direct messages that present themselves as mentorship opportunities or personal endorsements.

Certain agencies retain access to social media accounts of creators who have left the platform. These accounts, which may have large followings, are allegedly used to contact new prospects while posing as the original account holder.

Some agencies look for girls who tweet that they are leaving OnlyFans and offer to buy their social media accounts outright, then use those accounts (pretending to be the girl in question) to try to recruit new models.

While legitimate agencies do exist, the industry remains largely unregulated, leading to inconsistent transparency and accountability.

The claims involving Ashley Benson are not occurring in isolation. Similar allegations have circulated for years within the adult entertainment industry itself. Several adult film performers have been accused by creators online of allowing third parties to manage their direct messages on social media for recruitment purposes.

Performers, including Joanna Angel, Abella Danger, and Violet Myers, have been cited by creators who say they get hit up with messages by their managers pretending to be them.

I spoke to one adult performer off the record who had this to say ...

"You know damn well Violet Myers isn't sitting on your Twitter all day sending out these DMs. It's some creep guy pretending to be her. I was actually on set with her once when -SHE- DMd me asking to connect me to her manager. Her phone was nowhere near her so that's how I knew it wasn't her. Still just for shits and giggles I asked her about the DM she just sent me and she had no idea what I was talking about." 

In the case of Violet Myers, some creators allege that when they questioned the legitimacy of the outreach or declined the offer, the responses became hostile or insulting while still appearing to come from her verified account. These claims have not been independently verified, and none of the performers named have publicly addressed them.

Several creators have shared screenshots privately that they say support their claims. Critics argue that the scale and repetition of these messages suggest an organized recruitment strategy rather than isolated misunderstandings.

Recruitment itself is not uncommon in business, and defenders of the practice argue that agencies are simply seeking new clients. However, critics say the issue lies in how recruitment is conducted.

Allegations of impersonation, lack of disclosure, and reliance on celebrity credibility raise ethical questions about consent and transparency.

Some creators have questioned what such practices indicate about how agencies treat clients after contracts are signed. Others warn that deceptive recruitment can obscure the risks associated with adult content creation.

Despite what some want you to believe, you aren't going to become the next Sophie Rain just because you get naked online. It takes a lot of hard work, a great team, and even then, it's not a guarantee. Sophie Rain is the exception, not the rule.

Many argue that celebrities in mainstream and bigger adult stars should be held to higher standards when their platforms are used to promote or facilitate working with an agency that uses predatory practices.

What do you think?

Is it good business to rent the DMs of a famous person to get new customers? Or is that just one step too far?

Be sure to follow us on X (@fleshbot) and let us know what you think about it.