Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Jul 16, 2025

Miss Universe Organisation slams 'false rigging allegations'

Miss Universe Organisation slams 'false rigging allegations'

The Miss Universe organization is speaking out on rigging allegations after Miss USA R'Bonney Gabriel's win last Saturday.
The organization dismissed claims made by social media users that its new owner fixed the competition in order to crown Gabriel, who became the first Filipino American to be named Miss Universe.

"Saturday’s competition was the first time a trans woman addressed fans as the owner of Miss Universe," the organization wrote in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital about transgender Thai businesswoman and JKN Global Group CEO Anne Jakrajutatip.

"It was also the first time a Filipina American took the crown," the statement continued. "The false rigging allegations are absurd and distract from the incredible milestones our organization and the delegates experienced this weekend."

"Instead of focusing on unfounded statements, we will continue to shine a light on global women’s empowerment, inclusiveness, diversity, and transformational leadership," the organization concluded.

While Miss Universe 2022 was airing, fans on Twitter alleged that the competition was rigged, pointing out that JKN Global Group also owns the Miss USA pageant. Gabriel became the first Filipino America to be crowned Miss USA at the competition last October. She was named Miss Texas USA in December 2021. 

Online critics also claimed that the pageant was manipulated to favor the American contestant because it was held in the United States. The competition took place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The model, fashion designer and sewing instructor was the first American to win the pageant since Olivia Culpo was crowned Miss Universe in 2012. The first runner-up was Miss Venezuela Amanda Dudamel and Miss Dominican Republic, Andreina Martinez, was the second runner-up.

Gabriel's victory at the Miss USA pageant also sparked controversy with many of the 28-year-old Houston native's fellow contestants stating that they believed she was the beneficiary of "favoritism." Many contestants walked off the stage after Gabriel's win without congratulating her, breaking with beauty pageant tradition.

"A lot of the girls felt like it was the organization's plan from the beginning for R'Bonney to win, no matter who else was competing," Miss Missouri, Mikala McGhee, told Insider at the time.

Though McGhee was one of the contestants who walked off the stage, she said that move wasn't meant to "knock" Gabriel but rather "to send a statement that we all had an idea of what was really going on behind the scenes."

"We felt disrespected and paraded around for a show," McGhee added.

More than a dozen contestants alleged that the competition was rigged, citing instances in which Gabriel appeared to receive "preferential treatment" and noting conflicts of interest. 

The Miss Universe organization suspended then-head of Miss USA Crystal Stewart and her company Miss Brand Corp, which ran the pageant, pending an internal investigation.

Miss Montana, Heather Lee O'Keefe, told NBC News that Gabriel "was allowed to do different walking patterns on stage, when we were all told to strictly follow the walking pattern that we were given to by the choreographer."

O'Keefe continued, "She broke that rule, and they let her do it. Her coaches were allowed to sit in on the rehearsals, and anyone whose coach was outside of the Miss Academy wasn’t allowed to be there." 

For her part, Gabriel denied the accusations in an October interview with E! News, telling the outlet that the pageant was "not rigged."

"I would never enter any pageant or any competition that I know I would win," Gabriel said. "I have a lot of integrity."
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
×