Breaking News: Miss Universe Owner Charged with Shocking Allegations
In a stunning turn of events, Raúl Rocha, the president and co-owner of the prestigious Miss Universe Organization, has been charged with a series of grave allegations by Mexico's Attorney General's Office. The charges include involvement in drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and fuel trafficking between Guatemala and Mexico.
But here's where it gets controversial... Mexican investigators claim to have found evidence of Rocha's monetary contributions to a criminal organization. According to the Mexican newspaper Reforma, these contributions were uncovered during raids on several private residences.
The timing of these charges is particularly intriguing, as they come just days after the highly anticipated Miss Universe 2025 pageant, which was already mired in controversy.
Reforma, the publication that broke the story, reports that Rocha, a Mexican businessman and consul of Guatemala in Mexico, is allegedly a leader of a criminal enterprise. This group is accused of smuggling fuel in boats along the Usumacinta River and then transporting it by truck to Querétaro, Mexico.
On August 6th, Yazmín Mayoral Marín, an agent from Mexico's Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime, requested an arrest warrant for Rocha on charges of organized crime. These charges stem from his alleged involvement in drug and firearm trafficking, as reported by Reforma.
As part of their investigation, the Attorney General's Office raided multiple residences, including one where they claim to have obtained records of Rocha's monetary contributions to the criminal enterprise. One such contribution reportedly totaled a staggering 2.1 million pesos.
In the arrest warrant obtained by Reforma, the Attorney General's Office alleges that members of Rocha's alleged criminal enterprise have "connections with politicians and authorities at all three levels of government to deliberately carry out their mission, which includes the sale of hydrocarbons, narcotics, and the trafficking and sale of large quantities of weapons of war."
And this is the part most people miss... According to Reforma, citing federal sources, Rocha approached the Attorney General's Office in October to negotiate a plea bargain, offering information in exchange for immunity from prosecution.
Neither Rocha nor representatives from the Miss Universe Organization have responded to requests for comment from PEOPLE.
The news of Rocha's charges is yet another scandal to rock Miss Universe in the weeks leading up to and following its November ceremony. The pageant has been plagued by controversies, including a heated confrontation between a contestant and pageant executive Nawat Itsaragrisil, the resignation of judges just days before the event, and allegations of misconduct with scoring.
On November 4th, several beauty queens walked out of a pre-pageant event after Itsaragrisil publicly criticized Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch for allegedly refusing to participate in a social media photo shoot. Rocha subsequently sanctioned Itsaragrisil, barring him from further involvement in the pageant.
Three days before the pageant ceremony, musician Omar Harfouch resigned from the judging panel. He alleged that the Miss Universe Organization had created an "impromptu jury" to select 30 finalists before the preliminary round, a claim refuted by the pageant in a statement.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Harfouch also claimed that a pageant contestant had an affair with a member of the selection committee. He stated that he decided to resign after asking Rocha to be "transparent," but Rocha allegedly refused.
In a recent interview with a Mexican journalist, Rocha admitted that he was "so fed up" with the pageant after acquiring it in January 2024 and is now "looking for someone to pass it on to."
These shocking revelations have left the Miss Universe community in turmoil. What do you think about these allegations? Do you believe there's more to this story? Share your thoughts in the comments below and let's discuss!
