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The Miss New Mexico pageant was struck with controversy when contestants weren’t paid their scholarship money.
The former executive director of the Miss New Mexico pageant is reportedly under investigation by the state’s Attorney General’s Office after several former contestants claim they were not given their promised scholarship money.
According to a report from local Albuquerque, New Mexico outlet KOB4, a search warrant was issued on the home of the former executive director of the Miss New Mexico Scholarship Organization, Greg Smith. His cell phone, two computers, a digital camera and all documents related to the pageant were included in the search warrant.
Reps for Smith and the Miss New Mexico pageant organization did not respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
KOB4 reported that Smith, who ran the organization’s finances from 2015 through 2018, reportedly left his position owing about $54,000 in unpaid scholarships. This is in addition to allegedly transferring $48,000 from the organization to his personal bank account, collecting more than $3,800 in cash back from purchases made with the pageant’s debit cards and an alleged $1,700 transfer to his own ranching company, Norm Lovell Genetics.
The transactions are in addition to other questionable practices that appear to be designed to make Smith money from his position at the expense of the contestants.
“Hopefully, we can get those girls their money because they deserve it. They work hard for it and hopefully it never happens again,” current Miss New Mexico Ashley Fresquez told the outlet.
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