An arrest warrant has been issued for Jakkaphong ‘Anne’ Jakrajutatip, co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization, following her failure to appear in court for a fraud case. The Bangkok South District Court issued the warrant after Jakrajutatip did not show up for a court hearing on Tuesday, prompting officials to label her a flight risk and reschedule the hearing for December 26. Jakrajutatip, a well-known Thai celebrity, reality-show star, and openly transgender woman, has resigned from all company positions in June after being accused by Thailand’s SEC of falsifying 2023 financial statements, though she remains JKN’s largest shareholder.
Jakkaphong’s company, JKN Global Group, acquired the Miss Universe Organization in 2022 and sold 50% of the organization to Legacy Holding Group USA, which is owned by Mexican businessman Raúl Rocha Cantú, in 2023. She is accused of defrauding investor Raweewat Maschamadol during a 2023 corporate-bond deal, which Maschamadol claims cost him approximately $930,000. He alleges that Jakkaphong and JKN misrepresented the company’s financial health, leading to the collapse of the bond deal and the loss of his investment. JKN has since defaulted on investor payments and entered debt rehabilitation in 2024, accumulating obligations totaling around $93 million.
Jakkaphong’s whereabouts remain unclear, and she did not appear at the 74th Miss Universe competition in Bangkok earlier this month. On Monday, JKN denied rumors that she had liquidated the company’s assets and fled the country. The company also faces ongoing financial turmoil, having defaulted on investor payments in 2023 and experiencing a significant decline in its financial standing. The incident has further complicated the already fraught reputation of the Miss Universe pageant, which has faced a string of controversies this year.
This year’s Miss Universe pageant was marred by a series of embarrassing incidents. A Thai organizer publicly reprimanded Mexico’s Fátima Bosch Fernández, who ultimately won the 2025 crown, sparking backlash among the public. Additionally, two judges withdrew from the event, one of whom hinted at potential irregularities in the scoring process. Thai authorities have also opened an investigation into whether the event’s promotional materials illegally advertised online gambling, adding further scrutiny to the organization.
The chaos escalated when Jamaica’s contestant, Gabrielle Henry, fell off the stage during the preliminary evening gown round, drawing widespread attention and criticism. The Miss Universe Organization has changed hands multiple times in recent years, with Donald Trump originally owning the brand from 1996 until 2015. Trump sold the company in 2015 after NBC severed ties with him during the early stages of his presidential campaign. The organization was then acquired by IMG Worldwide LLC in 2022, which later sold the company to Jakrajutatip.