Summary
Fresh controversy has engulfed the Miss Universe competition just days after the pageant concluded, as both co-owners of the global franchise are now entangled in serious legal troubles, one in Thailand and the other in Mexico.
The recently concluded edition of Miss Universe, held in Thailand and crowned Miss Mexico as the winner, was already marked by dramatic tension, including a widely circulated confrontation between the eventual titleholder and the event’s host. However, the uproar surrounding the pageant has intensified following new criminal accusations against its leadership.
A Thai court official revealed on Wednesday that an arrest warrant had been issued a day earlier for media magnate Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip, co-owner of the competition, over allegations of fraud amounting to $930,000. A plastic surgeon alleged that Jakapong misled him by concealing vital information while encouraging him to invest in JKN Global Group, the company that jointly owns Miss Universe.
Meanwhile, in Mexico, federal prosecutors announced that the pageant’s other co-owner, businessman Raul Rocha Cantu, was also under investigation. Authorities stated that Rocha is suspected of involvement in arms trafficking, drug trafficking, and fuel smuggling, a sweeping set of allegations that has drawn widespread attention.
The prosecutor’s office noted that investigators were gathering “key information” to advance the probe and disclosed that arrest warrants had been issued for 13 individuals. Although the names were not publicly released, Mexican media outlets reported that Rocha was among those sought by law enforcement.
Local reports have further linked Rocha to alleged business relationships with the father of the newly crowned Miss Universe, Fatima Bosch. Her father, Bernando Bosch, a top executive at state oil firm Pemex, has denied any association with Rocha. The controversy has placed Fatima Bosch under intense scrutiny, despite her rising popularity after she confronted the pageant’s Thai director, Nawat Itsaragrisil.
The confrontation occurred during a meeting between contestants and Nawat, who publicly admonished Bosch for not sharing promotional posts online. He insulted her, calling her a “dumbhead,” a moment caught on video that led to immediate backlash. Bosch and other contestants walked out in protest, earning her widespread praise, including support from Mexico’s first woman president, Claudia Sheinbaum.
However, the 25-year-old beauty queen said on Tuesday that the allegations surrounding her father had triggered a wave of “insults, attacks, and even death threats,” intensifying the pressure on her new reign.
Once owned by US President Donald Trump, the Miss Universe Organization was purchased for $20 million in 2022 by Jakapong’s JKN Global Group. The company later sold half of its ownership to Rocha Cantu’s Legacy Holding Group USA for $16 million, further intertwining the two embattled businessmen in the operations of the pageant.
What You Should Know
The Miss Universe pageant, already known for its global popularity, is now mired in significant legal chaos as both of its co-owners face major criminal allegations in different countries.
With accusations ranging from multi-million-dollar fraud to arms and drug trafficking, the pageant’s leadership is under intense scrutiny. These legal troubles have overshadowed the recent crowning of Miss Mexico and heightened the pressure on the new titleholder amid broader controversy involving her family.
The unfolding investigations could have lasting implications for the future of the Miss Universe Organization.
