A Thai court has issued an arrest warrant for Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip, co-owner of the Miss Universe beauty pageant, over alleged fraud involving $930,000, a court official confirmed to AFP on Wednesday.
The South Bangkok Civil Court issued the warrant after a plastic surgeon accused Jakapong of fraud and withholding information when persuading him to invest in her company, JKN Global Group, in 2023.
“The defendant invited (the plaintiff) to invest knowing her inability to return the money within the appointed time,” the court said in a statement shared with AFP.
Jakapong failed to appear for a verdict scheduled on Tuesday, prompting the court to issue the warrant, citing behaviour that “could be interpreted as fleeing.” The verdict has been rescheduled to December 26, but some reports suggest she may have left for Mexico amid financial difficulties.
The Miss Universe Organization clarified that “these legal proceedings are entirely separate” from the pageant’s operations.
The Miss Universe 2025 contest, held in Bangkok last Friday, was overshadowed by drama including a public fallout between the male competition host and winner Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch. The host allegedly called Bosch “dumb” during a livestreamed event, prompting her to lead a walkout. Bosch was praised by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for speaking out, and the host later apologised.
Jakapong’s JKN Global Group acquired Miss Universe for $20 million in 2022, before selling half its stake to Legacy Holding Group USA for $16 million. In 2024, the Stock Exchange of Thailand delisted JKN shares after the company failed to submit financial statements and was found to have falsified them.
The legal proceedings add to a year of turmoil for the Miss Universe contest, which was formerly owned by former US President Donald Trump.
