Leonid Radvinsky, the owner of OnlyFans and a key figure behind its rapid global rise, has died at the age of 43.

The Ukrainian-born entrepreneur, who grew up in Chicago, passed away peacefully following a prolonged battle with cancer, the company confirmed in a statement, requesting privacy for his family.

Radvinsky acquired OnlyFans in 2018 from its UK-based founders and oversaw a period of extraordinary growth that reshaped the online content landscape. Originally launched in 2016, the platform allows creators to share photos and videos while earning income through subscriptions, tips, and personalised content requests.

Its popularity surged dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, as millions turned to digital platforms for income and entertainment. Within three years, Radvinsky’s success with the platform earned him a place on Forbes’ billionaire rankings.

Although creators on OnlyFans produce a wide range of material—from fitness tutorials to cooking content—the platform became best known for adult content and its direct creator-to-fan monetisation model. The company retains a 20% commission on all earnings generated on the platform.

By 2024, OnlyFans had grown into a massive digital enterprise, generating $1.4 billion in revenue from transactions exceeding £7 billion. It also reported more than 377 million subscribers and approximately 4.6 million creators, according to its latest filings.

However, the platform’s expansion also brought regulatory scrutiny. In 2024, Ofcom investigated concerns about potential underage access to explicit content. While the probe was ultimately dropped, the regulator fined the company about £1 million for failing to provide accurate information about its age-verification systems.

Earlier controversies included allegations that the platform did not adequately address illegal material. In response to mounting pressure, OnlyFans announced plans in 2021 to ban sexually explicit content, only to reverse the decision days later after strong backlash from users and creators.

The company has also faced legal challenges from users who claimed they were misled into believing they were communicating directly with creators, when in some cases third-party operators were involved. These cases have so far been unsuccessful.

Radvinsky, who held a degree in economics from Northwestern University, lived most recently in Florida. Beyond OnlyFans, he invested in technology ventures through his firm, Leo.com, and was involved in philanthropic efforts, including donations to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

According to Forbes, his net worth was estimated at $4.7 billion. He had also been exploring a potential sale of OnlyFans in the past year, signaling possible changes in the company’s future direction before his passing.

Police bodycam footage capturing Justin Timberlake’s 2024 drink-driving arrest in Sag Harbor, New York, has been made public following a legal dispute over its release.

The singer had initially taken legal action against the village to block the footage from being disclosed, arguing it would harm his reputation. However, a settlement was eventually reached, allowing authorities to release the video on Friday with certain redactions.

Timberlake was arrested in June 2024 after officers pulled him over for running a stop sign and veering onto the wrong side of the road. He was originally charged with driving while intoxicated but later pleaded guilty to a reduced offence of driving while impaired.

The newly released footage—spanning more than eight hours—includes scenes from the roadside stop as well as inside the police station. In one clip, an officer approaches Timberlake’s vehicle and questions him about his driving. The singer apologises and explains he is in town while on a world tour, at one point identifying himself to the officer.

Police documents cited in the case noted that Timberlake had “bloodshot and glassy” eyes and that a strong smell of alcohol was detected on his breath. The video also shows him undergoing field sobriety tests, including walking in a straight line and tracking an officer’s hand with his eyes.

During the tests, Timberlake appears unsteady at times and declines to take a breathalyser test. He tells officers he feels nervous and remarks on the difficulty of the exercises.

The footage ends with officers placing him in handcuffs and escorting him into a patrol car, as a companion questions the arrest and appeals to the officers.

A judge later ruled that releasing the footage did not violate privacy laws, clearing the way for its publication. Under the terms of his plea, Timberlake was ordered to pay a fine, complete community service, and issue a public safety message.

A jury has ordered US rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, to pay $140,000 (£104,415) to a handyman who sued him over unpaid work linked to renovations at the artist’s beachfront mansion in Malibu, California.

The verdict was delivered in a trial at the Los Angeles Superior Court after handyman Tony Saxon accused the rapper of failing to properly compensate him and dismissing him unjustly during construction work at the property.

Saxon had originally sought $1.7m (£1.267m) in damages. However, the jury on Wednesday awarded him $140,000 along with attorney and court fees.

West’s legal team argued during the trial that Saxon was an unlicensed contractor and claimed he had damaged the property, which they described as an “architectural gem.”

The court proceedings included testimony from both West and his wife, Bianca Censori, who spoke about the renovation work carried out at the oceanfront home.

Saxon first filed the lawsuit in 2023, alleging unpaid wages, unsafe working conditions and wrongful termination. He also sought compensation for medical expenses after claiming he suffered neck and back injuries while working at the residence.

According to Saxon’s testimony, West had agreed to pay him $20,000 (£14,916) per week for his work. However, he told the court he received only one payment of $20,000 and an additional $100,000 (£74,582) intended for construction costs.

Saxon also claimed that the rapper imposed unusual working demands, including allegedly telling him he could not leave the property. He further testified that West once woke him at about 03:00 local time to question why he was not working.

During the trial, jurors were shown a photograph of a small mattress placed on a concrete floor, which Saxon said he slept on while staying at the Malibu property.

The beachside mansion, purchased by West in 2021 for approximately $57m (£40.27m), became the focus of the dispute as renovation work progressed at the high-profile residence.