American Paula Shugart, the former president of the Miss Universe organization, threatened this Monday to sue the brand’s Thai owner Jakapong “Annie” Jakarajutatip for defamation for suggesting she had accepted bribes during the beauty pageant.
Shugart noted that, in a post on the social network Instagram, he broke his silence due to the “false and offensive” comments allegedly made by the Thai woman and considered taking legal action in Thailand against Jakarajutatip.
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“I cannot tolerate these dangerous and reckless statements, which bring the Miss Universe brand and its owners into disrepute,” said Shugart, who left the position she held for more than 20 years last November.
According to the former president, Jakarajutatip, a transsexual businesswoman who won the Miss Universe brand in 2022, suggested in messages published in Thai that Shugart was “corrupt” and had accepted bribes to place in the beauty pageant.
“The jakrajutatip not only defames me, but also defames the women who won the Miss Universe crown and that their titles were ‘bought’ and not deservedly earned,” the American asserts.
Shugart, who published the Thai owner’s alleged comments on the aforementioned social network, did not indicate the date or origin of the Jakrjutatip messages.
JKN Global Group, a Thai company led by a popular trans businesswoman and activist, acquired Miss Universe in October 2022 from New York-based IMG Worldwide LLC for $20 million (about €18.6 million).
Since then, JKN Global Group has faced liquidity problems and last November asked Thailand’s Central Bankruptcy Court to enter into a process to restructure its operations and debt.
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However, the Thai businessman clarified that these financial problems will not affect the Miss Universe organization.
Miss Universe has been held annually since 1952, broadcast in more than 160 countries, and the next edition will be held in Mexico on a date yet to be determined.
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