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Miss Universe Owner Arrested for Fraud
27 Nov
Summary
- Miss Universe co-owner faces fraud charges in Thailand.
- An arrest warrant was issued after missing a court date.
- The org has faced multiple controversies recently.
Jakapong 'Anne' Jakrajutatip, co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization, is now the subject of an arrest warrant issued by a Thai court in connection with a fraud case. The warrant was issued after she failed to appear for a court hearing on Tuesday, and officials have labeled her a flight risk. This development comes after a plastic surgeon sued Jakrajutatip in 2023, accusing her of defrauding him of 30 million baht ($930,362) to invest in her company, JKN Global Group.
JKN Global Group has faced significant financial turmoil, having defaulted on payments to investors since 2023 and subsequently entering debt rehabilitation procedures in 2024 with debts totaling approximately 3 billion baht ($93 million). Jakrajutatip had previously been charged with fraud in this case and released on bail. The Miss Universe Organization itself has been embroiled in controversies, including allegations of an impromptu jury selection and a public altercation involving a pageant executive.
Jakrajutatip resigned from her roles in June after being accused of falsifying financial statements for the company, though she remains its largest shareholder. The 74th Miss Universe competition, held this month in Bangkok, proceeded despite these issues, with Mexico's Fátima Bosch ultimately being crowned the 2025 winner. The hearing for the fraud case has been rescheduled for December 26.
