Miss Universe Co-Owners Face Arrest Warrants

Days after the 2025 Miss Universe 2025 pageant concluded in Thailand, legal drama has cast a shadow over the glitz.

Arrest warrants have now been issued for both co-owners of the Miss Universe Organization.

The first warrant targets Jakkaphong ‘Anne’ Jakrajutatip, the Thai media mogul who owns half of the franchise through her company JKN Global Group.

A Bangkok court issued the warrant after a plastic-surgeon investor alleged she defrauded him in 2023 by selling corporate bonds while allegedly concealing the fact that the company lacked the means to repay.

The hearing scheduled for November 25 was missed by Jakrajutatip; the court deemed her a flight risk and revoked her bail. Local media reports that her whereabouts are now unknown.

The second warrant concerns Raúl Rocha Cantú, the Mexican businessman who owns the other half of the pageant. Mexican authorities opened an investigation into him for alleged involvement in a criminal network trafficking drugs, weapons, and fuel between Guatemala and Mexico.

The probe has led to 13 arrest orders, including for Rocha Cantú. Prosecutors describe him as a key figure in an organized smuggling operation.

These developments deliver a dramatic twist to a year already rife with controversy for Miss Universe, including accusations of vote-rigging, on-stage controversies, resignations of judges, and protests by contestants.

The legal problems now engulfing both owners have raised serious doubts about the future leadership and credibility of the organization.

Sponsors, contestants, and national directors are reportedly awaiting clarity on the pageant’s governance and whether a transfer of ownership or leadership restructuring will be demanded.

Source: The Guardian, Associated Press, AFP, Reuters