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co-owner of miss Universe The organization is facing legal action after courts in two continents Thailand and in prosecutors Mexico Issued arrest warrants related to charges of fraud and alleged drug, weapons and fuel trafficking.
latest miss universe contest, Held in Bangkok earlier this month remained in controversy for weeks,
Thai media mogul Anne Jakapong Jakarjutatip, whose JKN Global Group owns half of the Miss Universe Organization, is now the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the Bangkok South Civil Court on November 26.
According to the Associated Press, she was scheduled to appear for a hearing in a fraud case on November 25, but she did not appear, leading the court to issue a warrant. The case was filed by Rawiwat Maschmado, who said Jakarjutatip persuaded him to buy corporate bonds even though his company allegedly could not repay them, leading to a loss of 30 million baht (£704,322).
Jakarjutatip was first charged in 2023 and released on bail. However, the court said he was a flight risk if he did not appear this week.
The hearing has now been rescheduled for December 26.
His whereabouts are unknown. Despite being the organization’s largest shareholder, she did not participate in the 74th Miss Universe pageant.
According to the Associated Press, JKN defaulted on payments to investors from 2023 and entered debt rehabilitation with the Central Bankruptcy Court in 2024. The company is owed approximately 3 billion baht (£70.43m).
Jakarjutatip resigned from all positions at the company in June after he was charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission with falsifying JKN’s 2023 financial statements, although he retained his stake.
In Mexico, co-owner Raul Rocha Cantú is under investigation by federal prosecutors on charges of trafficking in drugs, weapons and fuel.
He is accused of being part of a cross-border criminal network accused of smuggling contraband from Guatemala into Mexico.
The Attorney General’s Office said “Raul R” was the target of the investigation and a federal agent confirmed to The Associated Press that it was a reference to Raul Rocha Cantu.
Earlier this month a federal judge approved 13 arrest orders in the case, though authorities would not confirm whether any had been issued for Cantu.
Cantu has not commented publicly on the allegations.
Independent The Miss Universe Organization has been contacted for comment.
The cases against its co-owners come at a sensitive time for the organization. This year’s Miss Universe final, held in Bangkok on November 21, was already under scrutiny after a public confrontation. Final winner, Miss Mexico Fatima BoschAnd a farce executive, and claims of rigging.
Some Mexican news outlets alleged a connection between Cantú and Bosch’s father Bernardo Bosch, a senior executive at the state oil company Pemex. Bernardo Bosch denied any connection.
Jakarjutatip acquired Miss Universe from IMG in 2022 before selling a 50 percent stake to Cantu Legacy Holding Group USA. JKN had promoted the partnership as a step towards expanding the brand beyond its traditional pageant model.
earlier this month, Several contestants walked out of the competition following a widely publicized confrontation In which Thai pageant executive Nawat Itaragrisil rebuked Bosch at a pre-pageant event for failing to post promotional materials.
In footage of that moment, Bosch vocally says that Itaragrisil is “not respecting me as a woman”, prompting him to call security to remove her. Other contestants including Former title holder Victoria Kjaer Thielvig of DenmarkWent out in solidarity.
Cantu, president of the Miss Universe Organization, issued a statement at the time saying that he would “not allow the values of dignity and respect for women to be violated”.
Nawat apologized in a statement to “anyone who felt offended, uncomfortable or affected by his actions”.
separately, Several judges resigned hours before the incidentOne accused the organizers of rigging the selection process.
Miss Jamaica Gabrielle Henry had to be stretchered off after fall During the preliminary evening gown round of the competition. In footage circulated online by Miki Modez, Henry is seen posing in front of the stage in an orange gown and high heels when she falls from the stage.