Miss Universe owners face fraud and trafficking allegations | Crime News

Arrest warrant issued for missing Thai mogul Anne Jakkaphong Jakarjutatip, co-owner investigated in Mexico.

The Miss Universe pageant has been engulfed in legal drama as its owners face fraud charges in Thailand and an investigation into drugs and weapons trafficking in Mexico just days after the latest pageant concluded.

The Miss Universe pageant, which once belonged to United States President Donald Trump, is owned by Thai mogul Anne Jakkaphong Jakarjutatip and her company, JKN Global, from 2022.

Jakarjutatip is wanted in Thailand after failing to attend a Bangkok court hearing this week over a 30 million baht ($930,000) legal dispute with an investor in JKN Global. Bangkok South District Court said on Wednesday it had issued an arrest warrant for Jakarjutatip, whose current whereabouts are unknown, according to Thai media.

According to the Associated Press news agency, Jakarjutatip and JKN Global are facing major balance sheet problems from 2023, when the company started defaulting on payments to investors. The company applied for rehabilitation in a Thai bankruptcy court in 2024 and reportedly owes about 3 billion baht ($92.63m), according to the Associated Press.

Earlier this year, Jakarjutatip and JKN Global were fined 4 million baht ($124,000) by Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for publishing “false or misleading information” in the company’s financial statements.

The SEC statement said JKN Global did not fully disclose to investors that it had signed an October 2023 agreement to sell 50 percent of its shares in the Miss Universe pageant to Mexican businessman Raul Rocha Cantú and his company, Legacy Holding Group USA Inc.

According to the AP, Jakarjutatip resigned from all positions in the company, but is still a shareholder after the sanction. She also did not attend the latest Miss Universe pageant in Bangkok earlier this month.

Cantu faces separate legal troubles in Mexico, where prosecutors said Wednesday he is being investigated for alleged arms, drug and fuel smuggling between Mexico and Guatemala, according to the AFP news agency.

AFP said prosecutors charged 13 people in connection with the case, although Cantu has not yet been formally named.

The Miss Universe pageant concluded on November 21, following a series of scandals throughout the pageant season, including allegations of pageant rigging.