A Thai court has issued an arrest warrant for Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip, the media mogul who co-owns the Miss Universe Organization, over allegations of fraud amounting to $930,000.
The warrant was confirmed by a court official on Wednesday, following a case brought against her by a plastic surgeon who claimed she misled him into investing in her company, JKN Global Group, in 2023.
The South Bangkok Civil Court said Jakapong invited the investor to contribute funds while knowing she would be unable to return the money on time. “The defendant invited (the plaintiff) to invest knowing her inability to return the money within the appointed time,” the court statement shared with AFP said. The verdict for the 30 million baht ($930,000) case had been scheduled for Tuesday, but Jakapong failed to appear in court.
Her absence prompted the court to issue the arrest warrant, noting that her behaviour “could be interpreted as fleeing.” The hearing has now been rescheduled to December 26. Some local media reports indicate that Jakapong may have already left Thailand for Mexico amid rumours of growing financial difficulties at JKN Global.
The legal proceedings come shortly after the conclusion of Miss Universe 2025 in Bangkok, an event that was itself surrounded by controversy. During the pageant, the host publicly criticized the winner, Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch, for allegedly failing to post promotional content and reportedly called her “dumb,” leading Bosch to stage a walk-out. The host later apologized during a press conference.
The incident drew international attention, with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum praising Bosch for standing up for herself. Despite the controversy and the ongoing legal case, the Miss Universe Organization stated that these legal matters are “entirely separate” from the operations of the pageant.
Jakapong’s JKN Global Group bought the Miss Universe Organization for $20 million in 2022 and later sold half its stake to Mexican firm Legacy Holding Group USA for $16 million. In 2024, the Stock Exchange of Thailand delisted JKN shares after the company failed to submit financial statements and was found to have falsified them, further compounding the company’s challenges.
