Noelia Voigt, who etched her name into the history of the Miss USA competition by becoming the first titleholder ever to voluntarily relinquish her crown, now says she feels a profound sense of vindication and moral relief. Her statement comes in the wake of significant legal action: the Miss Universe Organization has filed a lawsuit against Laylah Rose, the former CEO of Miss USA, accusing her of fostering a deeply toxic workplace environment that allegedly harmed employees, contractors, and titleholders alike. Speaking to Business Insider, Voigt remarked pointedly that the illusion of professionalism that once surrounded the pageant’s leadership is now collapsing under its own weight, declaring, with a mix of exasperation and validation, that “the façade is crumbling big time.”
In her official letter of resignation—a document that has since become emblematic of courage and transparency in the pageant world—Voigt described her time as Miss USA as a period marked by serious emotional and psychological strain, attributing this deterioration directly to what she characterized as ongoing harassment and hostility from Rose. Despite repeated attempts to secure a response, Rose did not provide comment to Business Insider, and legal representatives from the Miss Universe Organization declined to discuss the matter further.
Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in September 2023 in Reno, Nevada, now reflects on her experience as both an honor and a heavy burden. The Miss Universe Organization, which oversees both Miss USA and Miss Teen USA, has initiated legal proceedings against Rose’s company, VVV Global Entertainment—a firm in which Rose appears to be the sole employee. The lawsuit alleges that Rose’s management created and maintained a workplace so toxic that it violated contractual obligations and failed to deliver the promised prizes and support to the winners of both national titles.
Amid this ongoing fallout, Voigt’s mother, Jackeline, revealed that neither she nor her daughter had received communication from the Miss Universe Organization after Noelia and Miss Teen USA 2023, UmaSofia Srivatsava, resigned within the same week in May 2024. For Voigt, the current lawsuit represents not just a possible reckoning but also a glimmer of hope for renewed dialogue with the organization that once represented her global platform.
Voigt has expressed that she does not seek public apologies or dramatic gestures of remorse. She stated candidly that her time with the organization was always understood to be temporary and that the organization’s long-term business ties with Rose naturally placed their loyalty elsewhere. Yet, one issue remains of immense importance to her—the restrictive non-disclosure agreement introduced under Rose’s leadership. This document, which Voigt subtly referenced in her resignation letter through the concealed message “I AM SILENCED,” has prevented her from pursuing personal and professional opportunities, including authoring a book or accepting speaking engagements that could chronicle her experiences.
For Voigt, release from this agreement would symbolize true closure and liberation. “It’s my life and my story,” she emphasized, describing the NDA as a shackle that continues to limit her voice and autonomy. Its removal, she said, would be the most meaningful act of reconciliation the organization could offer.
The context of her resignation underscores a troubling chapter in the pageant’s leadership history. Voigt’s crowning came just two months after Rose assumed her role as CEO, succeeding Crystle Stewart, who had already presided over a turbulent period marked by accusations of favoritism and even a sexual harassment scandal. Initially, the change in leadership was regarded as the start of a new era, yet reports soon surfaced suggesting the opposite. By May 2024, both Voigt and Srivatsava’s families publicly alleged that the young women endured “eight months of torture and abuse” under Rose’s management. According to Jackeline Voigt, Rose’s extreme volatility and aggressiveness in communication led her daughter to experience visible distress from even minor interactions like emails or text messages.
In her resignation letter, Voigt disclosed that the intolerable environment forced her to begin two separate regimens of medication to manage anxiety—a first for her. Later interviews revealed her inner conflict: though she felt compelled to project the poised, confident image expected of Miss USA, she internally struggled against the contradictions between that public facade and the mistreatment she allegedly endured. Rose, however, publicly denied these allegations in an open letter sent to ABC News, maintaining that neither harassment nor abuse was tolerated under her administration.
Nevertheless, the evidence and complaints mounted. On October 3, JKN Universe—the parent company of Miss Universe, led by CEO Anne Jakrajutatip—filed a formal lawsuit against Rose’s VVV Global, demanding over $75,000 in damages for breach of contract and related violations. Although Voigt views this development as a necessary and encouraging step, she has said that the case addresses only a fraction of the injustices she personally experienced.
JKN’s complaint draws directly from details in Voigt’s resignation letter, including a reported incident in which she was sexually harassed during an official appearance after allegedly being left alone with a man in a vehicle without a mandatory chaperone. The filing further asserts that VVV consistently failed to meet other contractual responsibilities, such as preparing Voigt adequately for Miss Universe 2023 or providing her required attire, including a national costume. The financial strain on her family was so severe that, according to her mother, they spent approximately $20,000 of their own funds to ensure Voigt could compete—an investment that nonetheless helped her place in the competition’s top 20.
Looking back, both Voigt and her mother have said that during this period, they often felt as though their pleas for help “were being shouted into a void.” Meetings with organizational leaders not only failed to bring improvement but appeared to intensify the hostility from Rose, who allegedly restricted the titleholders’ access to their official social media accounts and then impersonated them online to generate self-praising posts. Eventually, these discussions ceased altogether, about two months before both Voigt and Srivatsava resigned in unison.
Despite the subsequent resignations, Rose remained in her position while the 2024 Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants continued as scheduled, resulting in the crowning of Alma Cooper and Addie Carver. JKN’s later filings accused VVV of additional breaches, including the failure to pay Cooper’s $100,000 salary and Carver’s $10,000 scholarship, as well as claims of mistreating new titleholders by neglecting their preparation for Miss Universe 2024.
According to JKN, this pattern of mismanagement inflicted lasting damage on the brand’s reputation. The complaint asserts that Miss USA’s state directors observed declining interest among potential contestants, while potential broadcasters reportedly refused to air the competitions due to the negative publicity associated with Rose’s tenure. Consequently, JKN terminated its management agreement with VVV in July 2024, and by early September, industry veteran Thom Brodeur was officially named the new CEO. Rose attempted to refute these developments publicly, insisting via the pageant’s official Instagram account that she remained in charge, though documentation showed she had already been served termination papers weeks earlier.
Voigt described her reaction to this revelation as a mixture of astonishment and unsurprising disbelief: to her, it epitomized the denial and disconnect that had characterized Rose’s management style. Now, as Voigt prepares to watch a new Miss USA be crowned on the same Reno stage where her own life changed so dramatically two years earlier, she reflects on how far she has come emotionally. The echoes of those past experiences remain vivid, yet she feels a renewed sense of peace—particularly as the lawsuit has allowed her to reconnect with the more joyful memories of her reign. Even hearing the upbeat opening number song from her competition no longer triggers the pain it once did. Instead, she described how revisiting that music now transports her back to the choreography, the dazzling stage lights, and the fleeting yet powerful pride of representing her country.
“It feels different now,” she said thoughtfully. “The pageant world is healing.” Through her resilience and willingness to speak openly, Noelia Voigt has become not just a former Miss USA, but a symbol of transformation—a voice for integrity and transparency within an industry long criticized for its silence.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/miss-usa-noelia-voigt-lawsuit-laylah-rose-miss-universe-2025-10
