The Miss Universe pageant has always delivered spectacle — glittering gowns, viral moments, and the occasional scandal. But this year, the drama didn’t end when the lights went down. Days after Fátima Bosch Fernández of Mexico was crowned Miss Universe 2025 in Bangkok, the organisation’s two co-owners now find themselves facing arrest warrants in separate cases spanning Thailand and Mexico.
On Wednesday, Thailand’s Bangkok South District Court confirmed that it had issued an arrest warrant for Jakkaphong “Anne” Jakrajutatip, the Thai media mogul whose company JKN Global Group bought the Miss Universe Organization in 2022.
Jakkaphong, who was charged with fraud then released on bail in 2023, failed to appear in court this Tuesday. With no advance notice for her absence, the court deemed her a flight risk and rescheduled the hearing to December 26.
The case stems from allegations by plastic surgeon Raweewat Maschamadol, who says he was misled into buying JKN corporate bonds in 2023 — an investment he claims cost him 30 million baht ($930,362). JKN, already financially troubled, defaulted on investor payments in 2023 and entered debt rehabilitation this year, listing 3 billion baht ($93 million) in outstanding debt.
Jakkaphong, a high-profile figure in Thailand known for her reality TV stardom and outspoken transgender identity, resigned from all her positions at JKN in June after the country’s Securities and Exchange Commission accused her of falsifying the company’s 2023 financial statements.
She remains its largest shareholder. Her current whereabouts? Still unclear. She was notably absent at the 74th Miss Universe competition held in Bangkok this month.
But the plot thickens — and this time, the drama crosses borders.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mexican media reported that Raúl Rocha Cantú, the Mexican businessman who owns the other 50% of the Miss Universe Organization via Legacy Holding Group USA, is under federal investigation for alleged organised crime activity. The accusations include drug and arms trafficking, as well as fuel theft. Rocha dismissed the claims, telling El País: “It is completely false that I have an arrest warrant.”
But Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office later confirmed an ongoing investigation and noted that arrest orders were issued for 13 people, including “Raúl R, about whom there have been various public reports”. A federal agent, speaking anonymously, confirmed that this referred to Rocha.
Despite the swelling controversy, the Miss Universe Organization has not responded to requests for comment.
The twin legal crises land on top of an already rocky edition of the Miss Universe pageant, one marked by viral meltdowns, judge walkouts, and allegations of vote-rigging.
Earlier this month, Bosch — then Miss Mexico — staged a headline-grabbing walkout after a Thai organiser reportedly berated her as “dumb” for not posting enough promotional content. A tearful apology followed, and even Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum weighed in, calling Bosch an “example of how we women should speak out.”
Bosch would go on to win the crown, beating fan favourite Miss Thailand. But even her triumph wasn’t safe from the chaos. Two judges quit days before the final, with one suggesting the vote was rigged. Media scrutiny intensified when reports emerged of business ties between Rocha and Pemex, Mexico’s state oil company where Bosch’s father has worked for decades — claims both Rocha and Bosch’s father deny.
Sheinbaum again defended the newly crowned winner on Wednesday. “[Any investigation of Rocha] is independent of the young woman who won the competition. They want to connect them, but they are different. They want to detract from her achievement.”
From dazzling runways to criminal investigations, Miss Universe 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most tumultuous editions in the pageant’s history — proving, once again, that real-world drama can eclipse even the glitziest of crowns.
