Only a few short weeks after the public learned that Laylah Rose had been removed from her position as Chief Executive Officer of Miss USA, a new and serious chapter began unfolding in the beauty pageant world. JKN Universe, the parent company that owns the Miss Universe Organization and therefore presides over the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants, initiated formal legal action against Rose’s company, VVV Global Entertainment. The lawsuit, filed on October 3 in the Southern District of New York, accuses VVV of cultivating what it describes as a ‘toxic work environment’ for the titleholders and alleges multiple breaches of contractual obligations.
According to court filings, JKN Universe—headed by Miss Universe CEO Anne Jakrajutatip—asserts that VVV, of which Rose is the sole member, failed to fulfill critical financial commitments. Among these unmet obligations were the $100,000 annual salary owed to Miss USA 2024, Alma Cooper, and the promised scholarship funds intended for Miss Teen USA winners UmaSofia Srivastava (2023) and Addie Carver (2024). In light of these claims, JKN is demanding a jury trial, seeking damages exceeding $75,000 for breach of contract and violation of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
Former Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt, who famously resigned from her crown alongside Miss Teen USA 2023 Srivastava under Rose’s leadership, told Business Insider that she feels vindicated by the developments. Voigt remarked that the lawsuit exposes what she and others had experienced, stating pointedly, ‘The façade is crumbling big time.’ Rose, however, offered no comment in response to inquiries from Business Insider, and attorneys representing the Miss Universe Organization similarly declined to issue formal statements.
To understand the gravity of the situation, it is necessary to revisit the origins of this conflict. On July 28, 2023, JKN Universe entered into a management agreement with VVV Global Entertainment, signed under the terms that allowed Rose’s company to oversee both Miss USA and Miss Teen USA operations. The agreement permitted JKN to terminate the arrangement if VVV’s actions brought scandal or disrepute to the Miss Universe brand or its affiliates. While VVV was entitled to retain profits generated from the two national pageants, the company was also expected to cover all associated operational costs, including production and contestant expenses. The contract’s financial terms required VVV to pay an initial fee of $255,137 and a recurring annual fee of $375,000.
Merely four days after this agreement was finalized, Miss Universe formally announced Rose as the new CEO of Miss USA, succeeding Crystle Stewart. Enthusiastically, Rose told Business Insider that she aimed to make the Miss USA organization ‘relevant to today,’ referencing her plans to modernize the competition’s image after a period mired in controversy. Yet, JKN’s new complaint suggests that rather than revitalization, Rose’s tenure brought operational disarray and reputational harm. The filing alleges that Rose’s company interfered with state-level pageants by instructing certain directors to cancel their events for 2024, ultimately causing widespread confusion, financial loss, and tarnishing the prestige of both Miss USA and Miss Teen USA.
This turmoil extended beyond internal missteps. NW Productions—the company responsible for organizing state pageants in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho—filed a separate lawsuit against JKN and VVV, claiming that Rose abruptly canceled three of their events. The sudden terminations reportedly triggered outrage among contestants, families, and audiences, leaving the local pageant circuit in turmoil. Longstanding directors such as Paula Miles (Virginia) and Kimberly Nicewonder (Alabama, Louisiana, North and South Carolina), figures who had devoted decades to the program, also severed ties with Miss USA under Rose’s management. The complaint further asserts that VVV withheld over $2 million from RB Entertainment, the production company behind the 2023 Miss USA telecast, only resolving payment after litigation was initiated.
Despite these tensions, JKN and VVV attempted to repair their working relationship in March 2024 by establishing a new settlement agreement meant to address performance deficiencies and restore order. Yet, the situation deteriorated further. Not long afterward, JKN reportedly uncovered troubling concerns regarding the welfare of pageant winners under Rose’s supervision, leading to far more damaging revelations.
By May 2024, both Voigt and Srivastava made the historic and unprecedented decision to relinquish their crowns—a move without precedent in the seven-decade history of Miss USA. Although both young women were constrained by strict non-disclosure agreements, their family members spoke publicly, claiming that the winners endured months of mistreatment. Allegations included neglect, emotional distress, and even instances of sexual harassment, which Rose strongly denied in an open letter released that same month. Voigt’s mother alleged to Business Insider that her daughter had been left unsupervised during an official appearance, resulting in an incident of harassment—an event that JKN’s lawsuit attributes to VVV’s failure to provide required chaperones. Further grievances included the Voigt family reportedly paying $20,000 out of pocket to prepare for her participation in the Miss Universe competition because assistance and attire obligations from VVV never materialized. Although Voigt did receive compensation for her time as Miss USA, she said many promises—including scholarships, travel accommodations, and wardrobe provisions—remained unfulfilled.
Equally concerning was the case of Miss Teen USA 2023, UmaSofia Srivastava, who disclosed in August that she never received the $15,000 scholarship she was guaranteed. While both Srivastava and her mother refrained from commenting further on the lawsuit, their earlier statements underscored patterns of neglect and contractual violations that JKN now cites as key evidence in its complaint. Rose consistently declined to reply to media requests for clarification.
As the legal and ethical scrutiny intensified, Miss Universe issued a carefully worded statement in July 2024 affirming its commitment to female empowerment, diversity, and inclusion—values it described as the organization’s guiding principles. However, the company refrained from addressing any specifics about Rose’s management or the state of Miss USA. Voigt later reflected that, although the acknowledgment from JKN was validating, she believes the organization had long been aware of the mistreatment but remained inactive, leaving her and others feeling ‘like we were screaming into a void.’
Following the resignation of the 2023 winners, the 2024 Miss USA and Miss Teen USA competitions did proceed as scheduled, culminating in the crowning of Alma Cooper and Addie Carver in August. Yet, complaints regarding mismanagement persisted. In October 2024, JKN allegedly learned from Cooper that her national costume for Miss Universe 2024 had not been prepared and that she had not received necessary competition funds. As of mid-2025, Cooper was still unpaid for her $100,000 salary and unreimbursed for professional expenses. Furthermore, Carver had also not received her $10,000 educational scholarship, according to communications between her agent and JKN.
Eventually, JKN asserted that Rose’s leadership had caused measurable and lasting damage to the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA brands. State directors reported declining contestant interest and significant financial setbacks. Compounding these difficulties, the organization struggled to secure a U.S. broadcast partner. Although The CW had originally entered a multi-year deal to televise Miss USA through 2027, it later confirmed that the 2025 competition would be omitted from its programming schedule. On July 17, 2025, JKN formally issued a letter terminating its contract with VVV—a decision directly contradicting Rose’s later public statement on social media, where she insisted she remained CEO.
Amid the upheaval, JKN appointed Thom Brodeur as the new chief executive of Miss USA, signaling a possible turning point for the franchise. While the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA 2025 pageants are scheduled to return to Reno, Nevada in late October, the legacy of controversy surrounding Laylah Rose’s tenure continues to overshadow the organization. Noelia Voigt, returning to the site of her former triumph, expressed hope that the ongoing lawsuit might finally bring closure and allow her and others to speak freely about their experiences. ‘This lawsuit,’ she explained, ‘captures only a fraction of what truly happened. The best way for the Miss Universe Organization to restore integrity is to acknowledge this truth openly and release us from silence.’ Her words encapsulate the broader call for transparency and accountability—in both pageantry and leadership—that now defines this turbulent saga.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/miss-universe-jkn-former-miss-usa-ceo-laylah-rose-lawsuit-2025-10
