Bangkok – A Thai court has issued an arrest warrant for Jakkaphong ‘Anne’ Jakrajutatip, the majority shareholder of JKN Global Group and former executive director of Miss Universe, in connection with a fraud case. The warrant stems from her failure to appear in court for a hearing related to allegations of $1 million in fraudulent activity. This development adds further complexity to the leadership and financial standing of the Miss Universe Institution, following recent changes and restructuring efforts.
Bangkok. A Thai court has issued an arrest warrant for Jakkaphong ‘Anne’ Jakrajutatip, a co-owner of Miss Universe, in connection with a suspected fraud case totaling nearly $1 million. The case adds another layer of complexity to the ownership of the international beauty pageant, which has seen recent changes in leadership and financial restructuring.
The Bangkok South Kwaeng court confirmed Tuesday that the warrant was issued due to Jakrajutatip’s failure to appear in court for a criminal case, but provided no further details.
According to Thai media outlet The Nation, Jakrajutatip is facing legal proceedings related to an alleged joint fraud amounting to approximately $1 million. She was scheduled to receive a sentencing in the case Tuesday but did not attend the hearing.
Jakrajutatip, known as ‘Anne’ in business circles, is the majority shareholder of JKN Global Group, which acquired Miss Universe in October 2022 from IMG Worldwide LLC for $20 million.
The 46-year-old media mogul, recognized by Forbes as one of the world’s wealthiest transgender women, stepped down as executive director of JKN in June following an investigation by the Thailand Securities and Exchange Commission into her and her sister, Pimuma Jakrajutatip.
The company stated at the time that Jakrajutatip was accused of “making or allowing to be included false statements” regarding the conglomerate’s financial statements in 2023.
She is also accused of failing to maintain “complete, accurate, and truthful” accounting records for the first quarter of 2024, when JKN sold a 50% stake in Miss Universe to Raúl Rocha, the current president of the popular beauty pageant, whose final competition was held last Friday in Thailand.
The arrest warrant stems from a separate case and is not related to recent controversy surrounding allegations of fraud in the selection of Mexico’s representative, Fátima Bosch, as this year’s winner.
While Jakrajutatip resigned as executive director of JKN in June, she maintained a public and close relationship with Miss Universe until late October. However, she has not been seen publicly since November, fueling speculation in Thai media about her departure from the country.
JKN’s website has since removed Jakrajutatip’s profile, 12 years after she founded the conglomerate, in which she held a 26.39% stake as of the third quarter of this year.
On November 9, 2023, JKN Global Group filed for debt restructuring with the Central Bankruptcy Court of Thailand due to liquidity problems.
