OnlyFans Models Caught in Shocking £160,000 Cannabis Smuggling Scandal

In a shocking twist that reads like a Netflix crime drama, two British OnlyFans models have narrowly avoided prison after being caught attempting to smuggle a staggering £160,000 worth of cannabis into the UK. Sophie Bannister, 30, and Levi-April Whalley, 31, who built followings on both Instagram and adult content platform OnlyFans, found themselves in handcuffs at Birmingham International Airport following what they claimed was supposed to be an innocent pre-Christmas shopping trip to New York.

From Provocative Poses to Prison Panic

Before their dramatic fall from social media grace, the pair had amassed nearly 60,000 Instagram followers and supplemented their income through provocative content on OnlyFans. When confronted about their adult content business, Bannister candidly admitted to reporters, “Levi and I did it for a laugh and to help make ends meet.”

One particularly revealing photo showed the two women wearing cowboy hats with their naked rear ends exposed – a far cry from the tears they would later shed in Preston Crown Court as they faced potential prison sentences for international drug smuggling.

The Alleged Set-Up: “We Thought They Were Watches”

According to the women, what began as an innocent offer quickly spiraled into an international crime. A woman Bannister had met in Marbella allegedly reached out via Instagram with what seemed like a dream opportunity: £2,000 each to bring back what they claimed they believed were watches and jewelry from New York.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted, to go to New York, since I was a little girl,” Whalley explained. “I thought ‘Oh, let’s do it’, but not thinking about the actual consequences.”

The Moment Reality Set In

The fantasy trip quickly turned into a nightmare at the end of their three-day New York shopping spree. As they prepared to return to the UK in December 2023, both women admit they began feeling “panicky” about the locked suitcases they’d been given – to which they didn’t even have keys.

“I wasn’t 100 percent what was in it to be honest,” Bannister confessed. “I just started to get a bit anxious.” Despite these suspicions, they claimed they felt trapped, with Whalley adding, “We felt like we were already in far too deep to turn around at that point.”

The facade crumbled at Birmingham Airport when customs officers asked the critical question: had they packed their cases themselves? Their hesitation and inability to open the locked suitcases quickly gave them away.

The Shocking Discovery

When customs officials opened the suspicious luggage, they discovered an astonishing haul. Bannister’s case contained 34 heat-sealed packages with 16.5kg of cannabis worth approximately £40,500. Whalley’s luggage held an even larger stash – 39 packages containing 19kg of cannabis valued at about £121,500.

“We thought that’s it, our lives are over,” Bannister recalled of the moment their contraband was discovered. The friends spent more than 24 hours in police custody, during which Bannister claims she was hospitalized due to a severe panic attack.

Claims of Being “Groomed” by Criminal Networks

Both women maintain they were “groomed” through their social media profiles by sophisticated criminal networks that specifically target women with substantial online followings who project certain lifestyles. They claim their vulnerabilities – including coming out of difficult relationships and financial troubles – made them susceptible to exploitation.

“They approach the type of vulnerable people because even though they might have so many followers on Instagram, they’re not as confident as they may seem,” Whalley explained. “They’ve obviously seen that we were travelling a lot.”

The Aftermath: Suspended Sentences and Shattered Lives

Despite the seriousness of their crimes, both women narrowly avoided immediate prison sentences. Last week at Preston Crown Court, Judge Richard Archer handed Whalley a 16-month sentence suspended for 18 months, with 10 days rehabilitation and 80 hours of unpaid work. Bannister received a slightly harsher 20-month sentence suspended for 18 months, with 30 days of rehabilitation activities and 200 hours of unpaid work.

The pair burst into tears in the dock upon hearing they wouldn’t be immediately imprisoned. However, both insist their punishment extends far beyond the court’s sentence.

Lives Forever Changed

The consequences have been severe for both women. Whalley, a former adult nurse who now has a baby, lost her medical career and faces being struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. She’s currently under an interim suspension while trying to run a beauty business as a single mother.

Bannister, who was educated at the £15,000-per-year Kirkham Grammar School and previously ran a clothing brand in Dubai, now lives with friends in Manchester. “It’s caused a lot of upset and hurt,” she said. “My family all fell out with me. It’s not been easy.”

Since their sentencing, both women claim they’ve been bombarded with harsh messages online. “We’re being treated as if we’ve murdered someone,” Whalley complained. “It’s disgusting, I’ve got a baby here and I’m being trolled.”

Expressions of Remorse

Despite their claims of being manipulated, both women have expressed regret for their decisions. “We’ve both said we’re ashamed,” Bannister stated. “I wish we’d made better decisions, to be honest.”

Whalley added, “I’m ashamed for my family, I’ve got to live with that for the rest of my life. Everything is different now, and I look back and think I wish I didn’t do that. At the end of the day we chose that path and we’ve got to pay the price.”

This cautionary tale highlights how rapidly social media fame can take a dark turn when vulnerable influencers are targeted by those with criminal intentions. For Bannister and Whalley, a New York shopping trip that was supposed to be Instagram-worthy content ended with a criminal record that will follow them for life.