A lawsuit against former Puerto Rican beauty queen splashes Miss World

February 10, 2022 by CA18

San Juan, Feb 10 (EFE) .- The winner of Miss World 2016, the Puerto Rican Stephanie Del Valle, denied this Thursday any misappropriation of funds or illegal appropriation after being sued for fraud, in a case that splashes the international beauty pageant.

Del Valle is involved in the organization of Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico, whose final gala last December had to be canceled due to the increase in covid-19 infections and was postponed to March 16.

The model was sued by the Puerto Rico with a Purpose (PRwaP) society for breach of contractual obligations, collection of money and damages amounting to no less than 2,725,000 dollars.

PRwaP denounces that Del Valle’s company, Reignite Puerto Rico, agreed to transfer the funds from the sponsorship of the beauty pageant on the island, but the three checks delivered, for the amount of 1,225,000 dollars, were rejected by the bank when they were going to be deposited.

In this regard, Del Valle assured on his Instagram account that his company returned the funds disbursed by the Government to cover part of the expenses of the Miss World celebration.

“All of the federal funds that the Government of Puerto Rico disbursed to Reignite Puerto Rico, as an advance for the promotion of the island through the celebration of the Miss World 2021 event, were frozen immediately after the cancellation of the event on the 16th. December”, wrote the model.

“As a consequence of the cancellation, the funds – he continued in his message – have been returned in full to the Government of Puerto Rico.”

De Valle insisted that neither she nor any member of Reignite Puerto Rico has committed “embezzlement or illegal appropriation of federal funds allocated by the Government of Puerto Rico.”

He also described the lawsuit as “frivolous and malicious”, which will be heard on February 23 by Superior Judge Alfonso S. Martínez Piovanetti, in a videoconference hearing.

The lawsuit could affect the celebration of the Miss World final, scheduled for March 16 at the Puerto Rico Coliseum in San Juan.

PRwaP also denounces in its brief that Reignite “did not have the financial capacity, the personnel or the experience to carry out the contest.”

https://california18.com/a-lawsuit-against-former-puerto-rican-beauty-queen-splashes-miss-world/3284902022/