Instead of glamor, only scandals The chaos at Miss Universe never stops
One week after the crowning of the new Miss Universe Fátima Bosch, little remains of the competition's glamor. Resignations, accusations of manipulation and an arrest warrant have plunged the organization into a crisis.
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- One scandal followed another at the Miss Universe 2025 pageant - resignations, accusations of manipulation and internal conflicts are shaking the competition's reputation.
- An arrest warrant was issued for fraud against co-owner Jakapong Jakrajutatip, while President Raúl Rocha is being investigated for organized crime.
- Several contestants report poor conditions, unfair treatment and systemic favoritism.
- Miss Estonia and Miss Ivory Coast even returned their titles.
It's been a week since Fátima Bosch was crowned the new Miss Universe in Thailand. But as soon as the crown was on her head, her triumph was swallowed up by a long shadow of controversy. The beauty pageant became the stage for a drama where one scandal followed the next.
First there was the director of Miss Universe Thailand, who called the eventual winner "stupid" on camera. Two judges also resigned shortly before the final. One of them declared that the competition was rigged and that the finalists had already been decided. And Miss Jamaica fell so heavily during a preliminary round that she had to be taken to hospital.
Even today, a week after Bosch's election as Miss Universe, the controversy continues. On the contrary. On Wednesday, an arrest warrant was issued for Jakapong "Anne" Jakrajutatip, one of the co-owners of Miss Universe. As the British news portal "The Independent" reports, she had already been arrested in 2023 for fraud and released on bail, but did not appear in court on Tuesday.
Jakrajutatip is said to have tried to convince a plastic surgeon to invest in her company. However, she allegedly knew that she would not be able to make the agreed repayment on time.
According to The Independent, Jakrajutatip resigned from her position at the company in June. Her whereabouts are currently unknown, and she also stayed away from the Miss Universe pageant in Bangkok. However, she is still the largest shareholder in the organization.
"The truth will come out one day"
Several candidates have since commented on the competition on Instagram. Miss Portugal wrote that she "no longer feels represented by the principles that the Miss Universe Organization has chosen." Miss Ecuador said in a video that "not everyone had the same chances" and that the truth would come out one day.
Melissa Queenie Sapini, Miss Haiti, told the American magazine "People" that she and the other candidates "went through hell" during the competition. For example, she said that many of the contestants had fallen ill with flu symptoms or food poisoning and some even had to go to hospital. However, the management of Miss Universe hardly took care of them.
After the judges resigned, Sapini and others considered leaving the competition. "I gave so much for it and now it all fell apart," she told the magazine.
She chose even clearer wordsfor the news portal "Parade " and spoke of a "nightmare". "Something was fundamentally wrong behind the scenes. We felt it. We saw it. We experienced it," she continued. Her accusations: "A manipulated voting system. Judges who have personal relationships with the participants. Obvious favoritism towards certain contestants because of their skin color."
Miss Ireland also spoke to People magazine. She described her time in Thailand as "a learning experience". She believes that the Miss Universe organization played up the scandals during the competition to draw attention to the show. "Overall, it was just a media campaign," she said. She no longer wants to take part in a Miss Universe pageant in the future.
Some candidates even gave up their title
Some candidates went even further. Brigitta Schaback, Miss Estonia, even stepped down from her title: "My values and work ethic do not align with those of the National Directorate," she wrote on Instagram. "I am committed to the empowerment and equality of women and will continue this work independently and without any further connection to Miss Universe Estonia."
The Miss Estonia organizationtold "People" that there had been no personal conflicts, but that Brigitta Schaback had made inappropriate public statements. The Miss Estonia organization left open what exactly she is said to have said.
One day later, Olivia Yacé, Miss Ivory Coast, also resigned. "I must remain true to my values: Respect, dignity, excellence and equal opportunities are the strongest pillars that guide me," she wrote on Instagram. She will also withdraw from "any future association with the Miss Universe Committee".
It is unclear whether the two resignations are specifically linked to the allegations made.
The president of Miss Universe wants to sell his shares
The other owners of Miss Universe are also concerned: In an interview, Mexican entrepreneur and president of Miss Universe, Raúl Rocha, said that he wanted to sell his shares in the organization. "I'm simply fed up. I'm fed up with the whole discussion. I'm not taking part in something like this," he explained.
On Wednesday, the Mexican public prosecutor's office announced that Rocha was under investigation for alleged drug and weapons trafficking as well as fuel theft. There are also allegations that he had business dealings with the father of winner Fátima Bosch.
The Miss Universe organization has so far been reluctant to comment on all the allegations. In a statement on the allegations of manipulation by the resigned juror, it wrote: "All competition evaluations are carried out in accordance with the established, transparent and monitored protocols."
Ultimately, what remains of the Miss Universe pageant this year is less glamorous sparkle than a dazzling picture of decay.
