Former Miss Universe co-owner gets 2 years in prison for fraud

A Thai court has sentenced former Miss Universe pageant co-owner Jakkaphong “Anne” Jakrajutatip to two years in prison for financial fraud stemming from a sketchy corporate bond investment scheme, though authorities will have to find her first.

Bangkok South Kwaeng Court on Friday found Jakrajutatip and the company she founded, JKN Global Group, guilty of defrauding Thai plastic surgeon Raveewat Maschamadol out of 30 million baht, or $951,927, the Bangkok Post reported. JKN Global was fined 40,000 baht, or about $1,200, while Jakrajutatip received the prison sentence.

The same day, the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) announced it was delisting JKN Global after an appeals court rejected its debt-restructuring bid over issues regarding governance, management and misuse of funds, the Thai newspaper Khaosod reported.

Raveewat’s criminal complaint charged Jakrajutatip and JKN Global officials with lying and omitting key information to get him to invest in the company’s corporate bonds they knew JKN Global wouldn’t be able to repay. The company began defaulting on payments to investors in late 2023 and was in debt for 3 billion baht, about $93 million, by 2024.

Jakkaphong has not appeared in court since being released on bail following her initial appearance on the fraud charge in 2023. Bangkok South District Court issued an arrest warrant for her in November and deemed her a flight risk when she skipped a court appearance. The hearing was rescheduled for Dec. 26, and Jakrajutatip again didn’t show. Still at large, she is rumored to have fled to Mexico.

In June 2025 Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission accused Jakrajutatip of falsifying JKN Global’s 2023 financial statements, and she resigned from all company positions, though she is still its largest shareholder. Jakrajutatip also relinquished her roles at the Miss Universe Organization.

This year’s Miss Universe Pageant was beset with problems. First, Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch, who ultimately won, walked out after a pageant executive insulted her, then Miss Jamaica suffered serious injuries when she fell off the stage. A judge also resigned days before the pageant, alleging the finalists had been preselected. by a secret committee. The Miss Universe Organization denied the allegation.

JKN Global has owned the 70-year-old institution since 2022.

With News Wire Services