Ministry cracks down on untaxed spiritual services
ANKARA
The Treasury and Finance Ministry has launched an extensive investigation into individuals and businesses providing fortune-telling, astrology, spiritual guidance and similar services without declaring their earnings.
“All earnings must be declared,” Minister Mehmet Şimşek said, urging taxpayers to report their income by April 2, as services provided independently fall under self-employment and are subject to taxation.
The ministry’s probe was prompted by a surge in the number of practitioners offering services such as tarot readings, horoscope interpretations, spiritual healing, cupping therapy, numerology and Reiki.
To assess the scale of undeclared income, authorities employed artificial intelligence to analyze business models in these sectors. The investigation examined digital footprints, including websites, social media interactions, online payment systems and other financial data.
Officials identified widespread practices of conducting private sessions via phone, messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, and live streaming on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.
Many practitioners were found to charge per session, generate revenue through interactive broadcasts and organize retreats featuring detox, meditation and therapy sessions.
An analysis of social media activity and financial transactions of individuals operating in these sectors between 2021 and 2023 revealed a significant discrepancy between declared and actual earnings.
More than 1,000 taxpayers were classified as “high risk,” an estimated 1.8 billion Turkish Liras ($27,400,000) in unreported revenue was detected and 295 individuals were found to be operating without tax registration.
One particularly striking case involved an individual who authorities determined had amassed 15 million liras in earnings but had never filed a tax return.
In response, the ministry has begun issuing notices to non-compliant taxpayers. Those who fail to submit or amend their tax filings will face audits and potential legal consequences.
