Amy Emmerich, CEO of Miss Universe Organization has denied claim of the pageant being rigged in favour of Miss USA, R'Bonney Gabriel who won the 2022 edition of the event.
R'Bonney Gabriel won the Miss Universe pageant on Saturday, January 14, becoming the first Filipino American to take the crown.
Anne Jakrajutatip, the new owner of Miss Universe, had been accused of rigging the pageant for Miss USA, who won the crown over runner-up Miss Venezuela.
The claim was made after it was discovered that Jakrajutatip's JKN Global Group owns both the Miss Universe and Miss USA competitions.
However reacting to the claim, CEO of Miss Universe, Emmerich told TMZ;
"One of the top four accounting firms in the United States handled the results and verified the process.
"The allegations re: rigging of Miss Universe are false. People saying that it's "suspect" that JKN Global Group owns both Miss Universe and Miss USA aren't familiar with the history of the organizations."
Emmerich also recalled how an independent third-party law firm was hired to look into allegations surrounding the Miss USA pageant in October 2022, which was also accused of being rigged and it was determined that the allegations were unfounded.
Miss Universe Organization also released a statement which partly read "the false rigging allegations are absurd and distract from the incredible milestones our organization and the delegates experienced this weekend."
There is precedent for Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA all being under the same ownership. IMG bought the 3 pageants in 2015 and brought them under the same roof.