Miss Universe denies that the pageant was rigged for Miss USA to win

The Miss Universe Organization has denied allegations that the beauty pageant was rigged so that R’Bonney Gabriel of the United States could win the competition, calling the claims “absurd”.

Controversy surrounded Gabriel’s victory on Saturday night, with Anne Jakrajutatip, the transgender Thai businesswoman who bought Miss Universe last year, accused of foul play.

But organizers called the allegations “false” and “absurd”, adding that the claims “distract” Gabriel from becoming the first Filipino American to be crowned Miss Universe.

And Amy Emmerich, executive director of Miss Universe, said the results of the competition were handled and verified by a major accounting firm after Gabriel, 28, defeated Miss Venezuela runner-up Amanda Dudamel.

“One of the four largest accounting firms in the United States handled the results and verified the process,” Emmerich said. TMZ.

Jakrajutatip, the CEO and largest shareholder of JKN Global Group Pcl (JKN), has been accused of rigging the Miss Universe competition so that Gabriel, who won Miss USA in October, could win.

The billionaire Thai media mogul bought the rights to Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA for $20 million last year. Previously, the contest system was owned by former US President Donald Trump.

Critics have pointed out how Jakrajutatip’s JKN company owns the Miss Universe and Miss USA competitions, and suggested that Gabriel, who became the first Filipino American to win Miss Universe, was shortlisted to win the Sunday night competition. .

But Emmerich told TMZ: “The allegations about the manipulation of Miss Universe are false.

“People who say it’s ‘suspicious’ that JKN Global Group owns both Miss Universe and Miss USA are not familiar with the organizations’ history.”

Emmerich added that Gabriel, a fashion designer, model and sewing instructor from Texas, was a “strong and dedicated contestant” who is the “rightful Miss Universe.”

The Miss Universe Organization also said in a statement: “False allegations of manipulation are absurd and distract from the incredible milestones our organization and the delegates experienced this weekend.”

The controversy surrounding Gabriel’s Miss Universe victory over the weekend comes just months after she became Miss USA on October 3.

The contestants accused the ‘awakened’ Miss USA of giving Gabriel preferential treatment and shortlisting her to win because she is Filipino, making her the first Filipina American to be crowned in the competition.

Gabriel denied the allegations against him at the time, saying there was “no unfair advantage” and that he would “never enter any contest or competition that I knew I would win.”

In fact, Emmerich told TMZ yesterday that an independent law firm was hired to investigate allegations that the Miss USA pageant had been rigged in October.

She said the law firm found the allegations to be unfounded.

But other American Miss USA contestants said at the time that Gabriel’s victory had been the result of “favouritism.”

The legitimacy of her victory was also questioned by other contestants who said it was suspicious that a beauty treatment company that offers a price to the winner would feature Gabriel in an advertisement less than 24 hours after she won.

Gabriel appeared in an ad for NIZUC spas less than 24 hours after he won the Miss USA pageant, leading other competitors to believe the pageant had been rigged from the start.

Miss Montana Heather Lee O’Keefe claimed the ads showed the winner was chosen unfairly.

‘@MissUSA was crowned less than 24 hours ago but already got her sponsored vacation at @NIZUCResort,’ she wrote.

She added: ‘Are you kidding? I was giving everyone the benefit of the doubt, but this is embarrassing right now.

In her defense, Gabriel claimed that she was a brand ambassador for NIZUC’s affiliate company, MIA Beaute, which also sponsors the Miss Texas pageant and was opening a new spa at the NIZUC resort in Mexico.

However, the doubters didn’t necessarily buy the excuse, pointing out that the MIA founder is one of the judges in the Miss USA competition. O’Keefe claimed that Gabriel’s ambassadorship was a violation of the manual and that no contestant should have been allowed to work with Miss USA’s national sponsors.

The controversy continued to escalate for Gabriel when a photo circulated of Crystle Stewart, one of the organizers of Miss USA, doing Gabriel’s hair backstage. The image served as further fodder for the claim of favoritism.

However, Gabriel said the photo was taken the day after the coronation, just before the official Miss USA photos.

Ms. Jakrajutatip bought Miss USA and Miss Universe in the days after the controversy arose.

The businesswoman, who has more than seven million followers on Instagram, went from working at a gas station to becoming the billionaire owner of a media and content conglomerate.

His firm has partnered with media giants such as Walt Disney, CBS and Sony, and has also brought Korean, Chinese and Indian productions to Thai television.

He also appeared in the Thai version of Shark Tank and Project Runway.

On Saturday night, Gabriel was crowned Miss Universe. She was draped in the winner’s sash and crowned with a tiara on stage at the 71st Miss Universe pageant, held in New Orleans.

In the question-and-answer session at the last stage of the competition for the three finalists, Gabriel was asked how he would work to show that Miss Universe is “an empowering and progressive organization” if he were to win.

“I would wear it to be a transformational leader,” she responded, citing her work using recycled materials in her fashion design and teaching sewing to survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence.

“It’s very important to invest in others, to invest in our community and to use your unique talent to make a difference,” continued Gabriel. “We all have something special, and when we plant those seeds in other people in our lives, we transform them and use them as a vehicle for change.”

According to Miss Universe, Gabriel is a former high school volleyball player and graduated from the University of North Texas. A short biography posted on the organization’s website says that she is also the CEO of her own sustainable clothing line.

About 90 contestants from around the world participated in the competition, organizers said, which included “personal statements, in-depth interviews and various categories, including evening gowns and swimwear.”

Saturday night’s pageant was held in New Orleans to honor the late Cheslie Kryst, who was crowned Miss USA at the same venue in 2019.

The pageant paid tribute to Kryst, who jumped to her death in New York City last January, just weeks after appearing as a correspondent for the 70th Miss Universe pageant.

Kryst’s mother appeared on stage Saturday to announce that the National Alliance on Mental Illness established the Cheslie Kryst Memorial Fund for Mental Health in her honor.

“Cheslie was dealing with high-functioning depression,” her mother, April Simpkins, said onstage at the competition. The Chelsie she wore didn’t always match the way she felt inside of her. Just because someone tells you she’s fine doesn’t mean she is.