Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1764207245013photo-collage.png_cropped_processed_by_imagy.webp" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Miss Universe Organization president Raul Rocha and Thai businesswoman Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip. Miss Universe/Facebook and Lillian Suwanrumpha, AFP/File </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><p>MEXICO CITY, Mexico — The Miss Universe beauty pageant was hit by fresh scandal days after it ended, with the Mexican co-owner of the contest accused of trafficking drugs and arms and his Thai counterpart accused of fraud.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/pageants-beauty-queens/2025/11/26/miss-universe-president-raul-rocha-looking-to-sell-pageant-amid-controversies-1240">Miss Universe president Raul Rocha looking to sell pageant amid controversies</a></div><p>This year&#x27;s Miss Universe contest concluded last week in Thailand with a win for Miss Mexico after a pageant replete with drama, including a public bust-up between the eventual winner and the competition host.</p><p>A Thai court official told AFP on Wednesday that an arrest warrant had been issued the day before for the media mogul co-owner of the contest, Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip, for alleged fraud worth $930,000.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/pageants-beauty-queens/2025/11/26/thai-court-issues-arrest-warrant-for-miss-universe-co-owner-1639">Thai court issues arrest warrant for Miss Universe co-owner</a></div><p>A plastic surgeon accused Jakapong of fraud and concealing information when persuading him to invest in her JKN Global Group, which co-owns the contest.</p><p>Also Wednesday, the federal prosecutor&#x27;s office in Mexico said the other co-owner of the pageant, Mexican businessman Raul Rocha Cantu, was under investigation for arms, drug, and fuel trafficking.</p><p>&quot;Key information is being obtained that will allow the federal public prosecutor&#x27;s office to continue and delve deeper into this investigation,&quot; the agency said in a statement.</p><p>The agency added that arrest warrants had been issued for 13 defendants but did not identify them.</p><p>Mexican media reported that Rocha was among those sought by police.</p><p>Local media have also accused him of alleged business dealings with the father of the newly-crowned Miss Universe, Fatima Bosch.</p><p>Bosch&#x27;s father, Bernando Bosch, a senior executive at state-owned oil company Pemex, denied any connection to Rocha.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/pageants-beauty-queens/2025/11/24/-no-judge-resigned-miss-universe-president-speaks-up-amid-rigging-allegations-1405">&#x27;No judge resigned&#x27;: Miss Universe president speaks up amid rigging allegations</a></div><p>Bosch won widespread acclaim after leading a dramatic walkout from a meeting between the contestants and the pageant&#x27;s Thai director, Nawat Itsaragrisil.</p><p>Nawat was filmed singling her out over her apparent failure to post promotional content on her social media accounts, calling her a &quot;dumbhead.&quot;</p><p>Bosch won praise for standing up to Nawat, including from her country&#x27;s first woman president, Claudia Sheinbaum.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/pageants-beauty-queens/2025/11/26/miss-universe-2025-fatima-bosch-reacts-to-hate-comments-i-will-not-back-down-1414">Miss Universe 2025 Fatima Bosch reacts to hate comments: &#x27;I will not back down&#x27;</a></div><p>On Tuesday, the 25-year-old beauty queen said she had received &quot;insults, attacks, and even death threats&quot; over the allegations of her father&#x27;s links to the contest.</p><p>The Miss Universe contest was formerly owned by US President Donald Trump.</p><p>Jakapong&#x27;s JKN Global Group bought it for $20 million in 2022, but later sold half its stake to Rocha Cantu&#x27;s Legacy Holding Group USA for $16 million.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kW_D-I-ds0Q?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UAFZid3oEwM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The federal prosecutor's office in Mexico said Miss Univere co-owner, Mexican businessman Raul Rocha Cantu, was under investigation for arms, drug, and fuel trafficking.</p>

The federal prosecutor's office in Mexico said Miss Univere co-owner, Mexican businessman Raul Rocha Cantu, was under investigation for arms, drug, and fuel trafficking.

Miss Universe owners in Mexico, Thailand hit with fraud, trafficking claims

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Miss Universe owners in Mexico, Thailand hit with fraud, trafficking claims

Agence France-Presse

Published November 27, 2025 09:25 AM PHT

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Updated November 27, 2025 09:35 AM PHT

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Mexico City

Mexico

thailand

beauty

pageant

Miss Universe

Raul Rocha

crime

Agence France-Presse

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