Arrest Warrant Issued for Miss Universe Co-Owner amid Mounting Controversies Surrounding Pageant.

The Bangkok South Civil Court has issued a warrant for Jakapong “Anne” Jakrajutatip, whose company JKN Global Group co-owns the international pageant, in connection with a fraud case.

In 2023, a plastic surgeon accused Jakrajutatip of fraud and concealing information while trying to persuade him to invest in her company, per France 24. A court statement shared with Media Houses on Wednesday, November 26th, read. “The defendant invited the plaintiff to invest knowing her inability to return the money within the appointed time“.

At the time, Jakrajutatip was charged with fraud and released on bail, and on Tuesday, November 25th, she had failed to appear in court in Bangkok in relation to the case. The reason for such absence is still unwarranted. A verdict in the $930,000 case had been scheduled for Tuesday.

Local media reports suggested Jakrajutatip had left for Mexico. Miss Universe 2025 was held at Impact Challenger Hall in Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday, November 20th, with Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch being crowned the winner.

The verdict for Jakrajutatip’s case has been rescheduled for December 26th. Earlier this year, the Miss Universe Organization said in a statement, “these legal proceedings are entirely separate“, as per Press Release.

The news of an arrest warrant reportedly being issued for Jakrajutatip comes after weeks of controversy surrounding the contest.

On November 04th, the organisation made headlines when a livestream showed a heated confrontation between pageant executive Nawat Itsaragrisil and eventual winner Bosch. Following the incident, Miss Universe president Raúl Rocha, who is also a co-owner of the organisation, announced multiple sanctions against Itsaragrisil, including his restriction from the pageant.

Musician Omar Harfouch then publicly resigned from his position on the selection committee on November 18th, just days before the competition. Harfouch previously alleged that the Miss Universe Organization had formed an “impromptu jury” to choose 30 finalists before participants from 136 countries even took the stage for the preliminary round.

The pageant has refuted Harfouch’s claims. That same day, soccer player Claude Makélélé then announced he was also withdrawing from his position as a judge, citing personal reasons, while President of the selection committee, Princess Camilla di Borbone delle Due Sicilie, also resigned.

Just days after the contest crowned its winner, Rocha, whose company Legacy Holding Group USA bought 50% of the organisation in 2022 from Jakrajutatip’s JKN Global, said he was looking to sell his stake.

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