Sheena Monnin, a Pennsylvania beauty queen who resigned after saying Miss USA is rigged, was ordered to pay the pageant organization $5 MILLION in damages.
Monnin, who is “shocked” by the ruling, tells the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the “most logical course” would be to contest it, but she’s considering her options.
In any case, her claims didn’t pan out, and she’s paying the price.
Arbitrator Theodore Katz says Monnin’s allegations that finalists had been selected in advance were false, harmful and malicious and cost the pageant millions.
Specifically, a $5 million fee from a potential 2013 sponsor.
Sheena Monnin pointed to a Miss USA contract clause giving top pageant officials the power to pick the top five finalists and the winner of the annual gala.
A company official called that a catch-all that’s never been used, and Donald Trump, whose Miss Universe organization owns/runs Miss USA, hit back as well.
In one of his least ridiculous moments of the year, the Donald insisted that the process is “supervised by Ernst and Young and everything is certified.”
Besides, the real estate mogul told Today, “the organization doesn’t care who the Top 5 are,” adding, “I mean, what difference does it make?”
Hard to argue with him on that. You’ve seen one bikini-clad, glammed-up Miss USA, you’ve pretty much seen them all … even if they’re all smoking hot.