Sheena Monnin (born February 20, 1985) is a former beauty pageant titleholder most widely known for the defamation suit brought against her by the Miss Universe Organization.
[4] A default judgment was entered due to faulty legal advice from her lawyer, who failed to prepare for or attend the arbitration hearing.
[5] In June 2012, Monnin said that another contestant, Karina Brez (as Miss Florida USA),[6] saw the names of the top five on a telecast paper in the same order in which they were later called out.
After 10 years of competing in a pageant system I once believed in, I now completely and irrevocably separate myself in every way and on every level from the Miss Universe Organization.
He went on to defend the honesty of the final round judging: "Ernst & Young is one of the great, respected accounting firms.
"[10][11] The pageant organizers initiated an arbitration proceeding against Monnin for defamation and damages, arguing that they lost a $5 million BP sponsorship and reputation because of her allegations.
The Beast noted that the judgment "was satisfied in August 2014", and speculated that she might be under a gag order as part of the deal.
[3] Jeff Lee, a judge for Miss Universe, later told GQ that since 2005, Donald Trump would pick as many as six semifinalists to go on to the final round, allegedly in response to the failure of Oleksandra Nikolayenko to progress in 2004.
GQ reported that "the international finals are rigorously judged" but described "massaging" at lower stages, quoting Anya Ayoung-Chee (2008 Miss Trinidad and Tobago) who said "You kind of know the thing is fixed and predetermined.