A Bangkok court has issued an arrest warrant for Jakkaphong “Anne” Jakrajutatip, a co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization, following her failure to appear in court on Tuesday regarding a fraud case.
Accused of defrauding an investor in 2023, Jakkaphong had been released on bail. However, she did not attend court on Tuesday nor did she inform officials, according to The Associated Press, which cited a statement from the Bangkok South District Court. Consequently, the court designated her a flight risk and postponed the hearing until December 26.
Her company, JKN Global Group, acquired Miss Universe in 2022 and subsequently divested 50% ownership the following year to Legacy Holding Group USA, a firm under the proprietorship of Mexican businessman Raúl Rocha Cantú.
JKN stands accused of defrauding investor Raweewat Maschamadol during a 2023 corporate-bond transaction, which Maschamadol claims resulted in an approximate loss of $930,000. He asserts that Jakkaphong and JKN inaccurately portrayed the company’s financial condition when the bonds were sold to him. JKN halted investor payments in 2023, rendering the corporate bonds effectively worthless.
JKN has encountered severe financial difficulties in recent years, defaulting on investor payments in 2023 and commencing debt rehabilitation in 2024. The company reports obligations totaling approximately $93 million.
Jakkaphong, a prominent Thai celebrity, reality-show personality, and openly transgender woman, stepped down from all company roles in June after accusations from Thailand’s SEC of falsifying 2023 financial statements. Despite this, she retains her position as JKN’s largest shareholder.
Her current whereabouts are unknown, and Jakkaphong was absent from the 74th Miss Universe competition, which took place in Bangkok earlier this month.
JKN, on Monday, refuted rumors suggesting she had liquidated company assets and left the country.
This year’s Miss Universe pageant was marred by a series of controversies.
A Thai organizer publicly chastised Mexico’s Fátima Bosch Fernández, the eventual winner of the 2025 crown, prompting significant backlash. Additionally, two judges recused themselves, with one implying that the scoring process may not have been completely transparent.
Authorities also initiated an investigation into whether the event’s promotional materials unlawfully advertised online gambling.
The disarray intensified when Jamaica’s contestant, Gabrielle Henry, fell from the stage during the preliminary evening gown segment.
Former President Donald Trump once owned the Miss Universe Organization, overseeing the pageant from 1996 until 2015. He sold it to the talent agency giant IMG after NBC ended its association with him early in his presidential campaign. Since then, the brand has been sold multiple times.
Trump sold the company in 2015, and in 2022, IMG Worldwide LLC sold it to Jakrajutatip.