NEW YORK — A dispute over control of the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) has intensified three months before the 75th Miss Universe pageant, with competing statements challenging the authority of several officials and the organization’s official communication channels.
Carlos Guillermo Martinez, chief financial officer of JKN Universe LLC, which owns MUO, issued a statement Friday, Aug. 14, disputing an earlier announcement that appointed Thai businessman Nawat Itsaragrisil as CEO of “Miss Universe Eastern.”
Martinez said Nawat’s only role with MUO is as a national director and that he holds no office, ownership interest or corporate authority in JKN Universe. He also said Nawat has no authorization to speak or act on behalf of the company.
An earlier announcement published on the Miss Universe website said Nawat had been elevated from vice president for “Miss Universe Asiana” to CEO of “Miss Universe Eastern,” a position that would oversee 95 countries and territories in the region.
Martinez also disputed the status of missuniverse.com, saying the website and its associated social media accounts currently operate without MUO’s authorization.
He said MUO’s official communications would instead be issued through a new website, missuniverseorg.com, which the company said would also verify authorized representatives and the use of JKN Universe trademarks.
The dispute also involves Monil Hathi and Pavan Misra, whose appointments as managing director and head of sales, respectively, appeared in the earlier announcement.
Martinez said neither had been appointed to those positions or designated as authorized signatories for JKN Universe.
He also disputed claims that Hathi and Misra represented an entity that acquired half of JKN Legacy previously held by JKN Global Group. Martinez said JKN Universe did not authorize such a transfer.
According to the statement, Hathi and Misra are associated with Legacy Holding Group S.A. de C.V., an El Salvador-based company that JKN Universe said has no corporate, contractual or legal relationship with Legacy Holding Group USA Inc.
JKN Universe said it does not recognize contracts, financial transactions or other instruments that Hathi and Misra allegedly executed on its behalf without authorization.
The company identified Raúl Rocha Cantú as president, Ronald Day as chief executive officer of Miss Universe Americana LLC, José Ángel Castillo as vice president of operations, Martinez as chief financial officer, Sebastián Figueroa Berducido as legal director and María José Unda as vice president of international relations.
The conflict escalated further Saturday, Aug. 15, when a statement published on missuniverse.com defended the legitimacy of the appointments involving Nawat, Hathi and Misra.
The statement said missuniverse.com and its verified global platforms remain the exclusive official digital properties and voice of the Miss Universe brand. It also rejected claims that external websites could represent or bind the organization.
The statement further described as inaccurate Martinez’s claim that Nawat’s involvement with MUO is limited to his role as a national director.
The competing statements come as MUO prepares for its 75th Miss Universe pageant, scheduled for November in Puerto Rico.