Warrant issued for 'Raul Rocha', owner of Miss Universe, charged with drug trafficking, arms, and smuggling oil

Prominent global media outlets, from Bloomberg to PEOPLE and US Weekly, reported that Raul Rocha Cantu, president and co-owner of the Miss Universe pageant, has been charged by the Mexican Attorney General’s Office in connection with drug trafficking, weapons, and illegal oil trade—marking one of the biggest scandals in the history of the global pageant.

According to the Mexican Attorney General’s Office press release, a warrant was issued for Raul Rocha (referred to as Raul “R”) and 12 other suspects on November 16, 2025, following an investigation that lasted over a year to uncover links to organized crime.

The local newspaper Reforma in Mexico reported that Raul Rocha is accused of being involved in the illegal transport of goods between Guatemala and Mexico. The Attorney General's Office identified Raul Rocha as the “leader” of a crime syndicate smuggling illegal oil through the Usumacinta River before transporting it by truck into Mexico.

The media further reported that prosecutors from Mexico’s Organized Crime Investigation Unit had requested the arrest of Raul Rocha for transnational crimes, including trafficking drugs and weapons, since August. During the investigation, the authorities raided several properties and claimed to have found evidence of a 2.1 million peso transfer made by Raul Rocha to fund the criminal organization. The arrest warrant also states that members of Raul Rocha’s organization were linked to politicians and officials at all levels, involved in smuggling oil, drugs, and arms trafficking.

According to Reforma, Raul Rocha attempted to reach a deal with the Attorney General’s Office in October, offering important information in exchange for “legal protection”. This information aligns with reports from the local media outlet Milenio, citing court documents that have not yet been made public, revealing that Raul Rocha requested “witness protection” status from the Attorney General’s Office.

Raul Rocha has denied all charges. Neither Raul Rocha nor representatives of Miss Universe have commented on the matter when approached by PEOPLE.

Miss Universe’s ongoing scandals

This is the latest scandal to hit the Miss Universe pageant, both before and after the November event.

• Before the event, several beauty queens from different countries walked out of the pre-show event on November 4 after Nawat Isarakraisil, a Thai executive, publicly criticized Fatima Bosch, the Mexican contestant, for refusing to take photos for social media promotions. Raul Rocha, as the president and co-owner of the Miss Universe franchise, subsequently limited Nawat’s role.
• Three days before the pageant, Omar Harfuch, a renowned musician, resigned as a judge, accusing Miss Universe of establishing a “secret panel” to select the top 30 finalists in advance. The organization denied these claims, issuing a public statement.
• After the pageant, drama reignited when Pemex, Mexico’s state-owned oil company, congratulated Fatima Bosch, the winner, on X (formerly Twitter) on November 21, stating that her father worked for the company.
• Later, on Saturday, the local newspaper El Universal reported that Pemex had previously secured a 745 million peso deal (approximately 41 million USD) through a bidding process with a company linked to Raul Rocha. The deal was signed in 2023 to provide oil pipeline services between Pemex and Raul Rocha’s joint venture company Soluciones Gasiferas del Sur. Raul Rocha had purchased a 50% stake in the Miss Universe franchise that same year. According to El Universal, the contract began operations between February – December 2023, based on internal company documents.

Following the public exposure of the connection between Fatima Bosch’s father, Pemex, and the oil pipeline service provider, some Mexicans began questioning the fairness of the Miss Universe competition.