Miss Universe owners hit with fraud, trafficking probes
The Miss Universe Pageant is facing major legal scrutiny just days after its 2025 competition concluded. Thai mogul Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip, who co-owns the pageant through JKN Global, is wanted in Thailand over a $930,000 legal dispute after missing a Bangkok court hearing. The court issued an arrest warrant as her current location remains unknown.
JKN Global has struggled financially since 2023, defaulting on payments and filing for bankruptcy rehabilitation in 2024. The Thai Securities and Exchange Commission fined Jakrajutatip 4 million baht ($124,000) for publishing misleading financial statements, including failing to disclose the sale of 50% of Miss Universe shares to Mexican businessman Raúl Rocha Cantu, News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, Cantu faces a separate investigation in Mexico over alleged drug, arms, and fuel trafficking between Mexico and Guatemala. The 2025 pageant, held in Bangkok on November 21, was already clouded by scandal, including accusations of rigging and financial mismanagement.
The combined legal troubles of its owners cast a shadow over the globally renowned beauty competition and raise questions about the pageant’s future management and credibility.
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