In a shocking escalation that has rocked the global pageant world, the Director of Miss Universe Mexico, Jorge Figueroa, was arrested in Thailand just days before the 2025 Miss Universe finale.
The arrest, confirmed by multiple international media outlets on Tuesday, 11 November 2025, is the latest and most severe development in an explosive public feud between the pageant’s Mexican leadership and its powerful Thai counterpart, Nawat Itsaragrisil.
Figueroa, along with several makeup artists from the Mexican delegation, was reportedly detained by Thai authorities in Bangkok after Itsaragrisil—a Thai media mogul who serves as both the National Director for Thailand and an executive director for the global Miss Universe Organization (MUO)—filed a formal criminal complaint.
While local reports indicate Figueroa has since been released, the arrest marks a stunning collapse of professional decorum and exposes deep, potentially criminal rifts within the billion-dollar brand.
The complaint is reportedly linked to “commercial agreements,” with several Thai press reports pointing to a dispute over a pageant sponsor allegedly connected to an online casino. Such gambling operations are illegal in Thailand, making the allegation incredibly serious.
This legal bombshell lands in the middle of an already raging fire. The entire controversy traces back to a 4 November 2025 incident, where Nawat Itsaragrisil publicly humiliated Mexico’s contestant, Fátima Bosch, during a livestreamed event, creating a schism that has now fractured the organization.
The Spark: A Public Humiliation
The crisis began not with a criminal complaint, but with a microphone.
During a pre-pageant sashing ceremony on 4 November 2025, which was livestreamed on the pageant’s official Facebook page, Nawat Itsaragrisil launched a minutes-long, public tirade against Miss Mexico, Fátima Bosch.
Itsaragrisil accused Bosch of refusing to participate in promotional photoshoots and “not supporting” the host country. He further alleged she was following orders from her national director (Figueroa) rather than the MUO executives in Thailand.
The confrontation, which quickly went viral, culminated in Itsaragrisil calling the contestant “dumb” and a “dumb head” for following her director’s orders.
As Bosch stood to defend herself, Itsaragrisil dismissed her.
Itsaragrisil then called for security to remove Bosch from the room. The incident prompted a mass walkout, with several other contestants, including Miss Universe Canada and the reigning Miss Universe 2024, Victoria Kjær Theilvig, leaving the event in solidarity with Bosch.
The Fallout: Two Organizations at War
The response from the Miss Universe Organization’s leadership—which is also headed by a Mexican businessman, Raúl Rocha Cantú—was swift and severe.
On 5 November 2025, Rocha Cantú, in his capacity as MUO President, posted a video statement condemning Itsaragrisil’s behavior in the strongest possible terms.
Rocha Cantú immediately announced sanctions against the Thai executive, stating, “I have restricted Nawat’s participation in the events that are part of the 74th Miss Universe competition, limiting it as much as possible or eliminating it entirely.
This action—a public censure and restriction of a host-country director by the organization’s president—set the stage for a retaliatory strike.
That retaliation, it now appears, was the criminal complaint that led to Jorge Figueroa’s arrest just one week later.
The Arrest: Latest Data & Allegations
The feud moved from a corporate dispute to a criminal matter on or around 11 November 2025. Thai police, acting on Nawat Itsaragrisil’s complaint, detained Figueroa.
While the exact nature of the charges remains unconfirmed by police, the link to illegal gambling sponsorships has been widely reported by Thai media. The International Business Times reported that the complaint was intended to “expose a company involved in commercial agreements with Miss Universe.
This timeline suggests a bitter tit-for-tat escalation:
- 4 November 2025: Itsaragrisil publicly humiliates Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch.
- 5 November 2025: MUO President Rocha Cantú publicly sanctions Itsaragrisil.
- 11 November 2025: Itsaragrisil files a criminal complaint, leading to the arrest of Rocha Cantú’s national director, Jorge Figueroa, in Thailand.
The arrest was confirmed by an unlikely source: Martha Cristiana, a former director of Miss Universe Mexico. In an interview, Cristiana did not hold back, lending credence to the idea of long-standing internal issues with Figueroa.
What to Watch Next
With the Miss Universe 2025 final competition scheduled for 21 November 2025, the organization is in an untenable position.
The pageant’s host-country director (Itsaragrisil) is now restricted from his own event, while the Mexican national director (Figueroa) has been arrested and released on his accuser’s complaint.
Key questions remain:
- Figueroa’s Legal Status: Has he been cleared, or is he barred from leaving Thailand pending an investigation?
- The Sponsorship Allegation: If the complaint involves an illegal gambling sponsor, this could void contracts and create a massive financial and legal crisis for the MUO, far exceeding the current infighting.
- The Finale: How can the finale proceed with its leadership, contestant, and host-country teams in open warfare?
The crown, intended as a symbol of empowerment, is now deeply tarnished by a scandal of public humiliation, corporate retribution, and alleged criminality.
