For more than seven decades, Miss USA has selected a woman to vie for the Miss Universe crown. Beyond the glitz and glamour associated with the global crown, former contestants and whistleblowers have detailed an uglier reality in recent years, alleging corruption and controversy.
Rodrigo Goytortua, the former CEO of Miss Universe Mexico, details how the scandal-laden pageant has adversely impacted his personal life in the new documentary, "Crown of Deceit: Inside the Miss Universe Scandal," premiering Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on TLC.
"They have contacted the mother of my kids to make this extortion to me," Goytortua says in the three-part special, which USA TODAY can exclusively debut the trailer for. "That's why I want to speak. Miss Universe
is a global company that is related with corruption."
Allegations of misconduct, abuse of power, favoritism and competition-rigging within the organization are explored at length in the doc. Former contestants like Taylor Hale, Noelia Voigt and Brittany Mason, along with whistleblowers and industry experts, also detail alleged patterns of intimidation, secret NDAs and leadership blunders.
"It's just been scandal after scandal," one woman says in the trailer.
One particular scandal explored is the drama involving Miss Universe co-owner Jakkaphong "Anne" Jakrajutatip. In 2024, Goytortua came forward with footage from a November 2023 meeting, in which Jakrajutatip, a trans woman, stated diverse pageant competitors, including "trans women, the women with husbands, divorced women," can compete but "cannot win."
At the time, a Miss Universe spokesperson told USA TODAYthat the organization "stands strong in upholding values of inclusion, transparency, and integrity."
Later, Jakrajutatip was accused of fraud. She was eventually sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty for defrauding a $951,927 corporate bond investment, according to People.
The documentary also spotlights the scandals that shaped the 2025 Miss Universe pageant, when Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch received the top prize in Thailand. Ahead of her crowning, Miss Universe Thailand director Nawat Itsaragrisil called her "stupid" during a livestreamed speech to contestants on Nov. 4. His statement drew backlash and fellow Miss Universe contestants walked out in support. Bosch later revoked his comment and said it was "unacceptable."
Following the viral video, composer Omar Harfouch, a competition judge, quit on Nov. 18,and made accusations that the "impromptu jury" selected finalists without the presence of the eight "real jury members." Harfouch called the conversation he had with pageant president Raúl Rocha Cantú "disrespectful" as he spoke on the "lack of transparency in the Miss Universe voting process."
The organization has publicly denied Harfouch's accusations.
Additionally, the doc explores the alleged sexual harassment complaints that were raised by contestants, including former Miss USA contestant Hale. In November 2021, she accused former Miss USA Vice President Max Sebrechts of making unwanted advances toward her. She discusses her claims in the doc, saying, "He caressed my hair and pushed his body against mine."
Other contestants have accused Sebrechts of sending sexually explicit messages. He resigned from the organization following the allegations in 2021.
The trailer also features contestant Mason questioning if she was "groomed" as she shared an instance where the organization's leaders attempted to take her to a strip club when she was 17.
Elsewhere, Mason detailed the organization's alleged ties to "trafficking, arrest warrants and allegations of pageant-rigging," before revealing the extreme lengths she underwent to excel in the pageant.
"I could have died on the operating table, but I wanted the job of Miss USA so bad," Mason says. "I really believed that that was my one chance at a better life."
President Donald Trump owned Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe from 2002 to 2015, with former contestants alleging Trump made them feel uncomfortable or called them inappropriate names like "Miss Piggy," according to 1996 Miss Universe Alicia Machado.
Thom Brodeur now serves as the CEO of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA, and recently told People in an interview that the "pageant industry really has to evolve in order for it to thrive."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Miss Universe whistleblower speaks out after alleged extortion | Exclusive
