The Miss Universe organization is in total chaos after their co-owner is reportedly tied to a list of shocking organized crimes

The Miss Universe organization is facing total chaos after Mexico’s anti-money laundering office announced it has frozen the bank accounts of Mexican co-owner Raúl Rocha Cantú as part of a major organized crime probe, as per AP News. Rocha Cantú’s company, Legacy Holding Group USA, owns a massive 50% stake in the Miss Universe organization.

This action was taken by the country’s Financial Intelligence Unit, which oversees all anti-money laundering efforts in Mexico. A federal official confirmed the freeze of Rocha Cantú’s Mexican accounts, though the official spoke anonymously since they weren’t authorized to comment publicly on the investigation.

The allegations against Rocha Cantú are incredibly serious. He is currently under investigation for alleged organized crime activity, which includes drug trafficking, arms trafficking, and even fuel theft. Mexico’s federal prosecutors confirmed last week that they have been looking into the businessman since November 2024. Things have clearly escalated rapidly. Just last month, a federal judge issued 13 arrest warrants for various people involved in the case, and Rocha Cantú is reportedly among those facing arrest.

Given the severity of these charges, having half of your ownership tied up in a major international crime investigation is definitely not a good look for a global pageant

If you’re thinking Rocha Cantú’s name sounds familiar for reasons outside of beauty queens, you’re right. He was also a part-owner of the Casino Royale in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey back in 2011. That casino was the site of a horrific attack where gunmen stormed the building, doused it with gasoline, and set it on fire, killing 52 people. The man charged with planning that devastating attack, Baltazar Saucedo Estrada, was sentenced to 135 years in prison in July.

But the organizational turmoil doesn’t stop with just one co-owner. The Miss Universe organization is dealing with controversies on both sides of the aisle. The other 50% of the organization is owned by JKN Global Group Public Co. Ltd., which belongs to Jakkaphong “Anne” Jakrajutatip. She’s Thai, and she has legal issues of her own.

A Thai court issued an arrest warrant for Jakrajutatip just last week in connection with an ongoing fraud case, just like Ukraine’s lead negotiator in Geneva. She had previously been released on bail in 2023, but she failed to appear for her required court date in Bangkok on November 25. Because she didn’t notify the court about her absence, the Bangkok South District Court released a statement saying she’s now considered a flight risk. Her rescheduled hearing is currently set for December 26.

When you look at the mounting pressure from both countries, it’s clear the Miss Universe organization is in a state of crisis. Beyond the legal troubles of both co-owners, the most recent competition itself faced intense scrutiny. The 2025 competition, which was won by Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch, was hit with allegations that the entire event had been rigged. So, it’s not unlike elections if Maryland Governor is to be believed.