The former president of Miss Universe is threatening to sue

The former president of the Miss Universe organization, the American Paula Shugart, threatened this Monday to sue the owner of the Thai brand Jakapong “Anne” Jakrajutatip for defamation for suggesting that she accepted bribes during the beauty pageant.

Shugart, in a post on the Instagram social network, pointed out that “false and outrageous” comments allegedly uttered by a Thai woman prompted him to break his silence and consider taking legal action in Thailand against Jakrajutatip.

“I can’t stand those dangerous and thoughtless statements, which they degrade the Miss Universe brand and its holders”, pointed out Shugart, who left the post he held for more than 20 years last November.

According to the former president, Jakrajutatip, a transsexual businesswoman who took over Miss Universe brandsuggested in messages posted in Thai that Shugart was “corrupt” and had taken bribes to secure beauty pageant spots.

“Jakrajutatype not only slanders me, but also discredits women who won the Miss Universe crown by insinuating that their titles were ‘bought’ and not by merit,” emphasizes the American.

Shugart, who publishes assumptions owner comments The Thai message on the aforementioned social network does not specify the date or origin of those Jakrajutatip messages.

Thai company JKN Global Group led by popular businesswoman and trans activistbought Miss Universe in October 2022 for $20 million (about €18.6 million) from New York-based IMG Worldwide LLC.

Since then, JKN Global Group has been suffering from problems liquidity and last November it asked Thailand’s Central Bankruptcy Court to enter into a process of restructuring its business and debt.

Although the Thai entrepreneur specified that these financial problems They did not want to influence the Miss Universe organization.

Miss Universe has been held every year since 1952, and is broadcast on more than 160 countriesand the next edition will take place in Mexico at a date yet to be determined.